Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

How Social Media Algorithms May Exacerbate the Identifiable Victim Effect and Empathy Fatigue among Adolescents: A Critical Narrative Review

Zhengyou Zhou*
The University of Sydney

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Algorithmic curation repeatedly exposes teenagers to vivid narratives of individual pain. This review examines whether the participation-based recommendation system will strengthen the identifiable victim effect (IVE), whether identifiable individuals produce stronger emotional or helping responses than statistical victims, and whether repeated exposure will lead to empathy fatigue. The evidence integrates moral psychology, recommendation system audit, social learning research, developmental neuroscience, adolescent media research and alternative trauma research. The literature supports two interrelated propositions, but does not support a deterministic causal chain. First of all, the ranking and feedback cycle based on participation give priority to the emotional and moral prominent content, so that the identifiable victim narrative may be amplified structurally. Second, repeated exposure may lead to habituation characterized by blunted emotion, or overload characterized by distress and avoidance; existing studies rarely measure affect, helping behavior, and exposure longitudinally enough to distinguish these pathways. Adolescence may increase susceptibility because social emotional responses, peer sensitivity, and regulatory capacity are still developing, although direct evidence for adolescents is lacking. This review further points out that self-efficacy is a possible moderator: amplified feeling without a reliable avenue for action may turn worry into helplessness. In general, algorithmic amplification is theoretically reasonable and indirectly supported, but the claim that it leads to adolescent empathy fatigue has not been confirmed. Research should directly link feed level exposure, victim identifiability, impact, efficacy, and help over time.

Keywords: adolescent social media; identifiable victim effect; recommender systems; empathy fatigue; vicarious traumatization
Published: October 13, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.BJ37577
Volume: CHR Vol.119
pp. 150-158
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