Psychological reasons for Like vs. Comments in Social Network

People ‘like’ more as compared to ‘giving comment’ on social networking sites. There might be lots of reason why people ‘Like’ a lot instead of 'Comment’. Reasons are given below,

1. Emotional Touch

In social networking sites or portals we connect socially with people. People may be our friends, family members, our relatives or other people also to whom you just know in general way. Some cases we are most emotionally attached with our family member, in some cases we are more emotionally attached with our close friends, in some cases we are more attached with people who inspired us. When we increase our network in social network we usually get connected with people who are generally newer to us like mutual friends of our friends or society members.

According to the human psychology, we generally pay more attention to the people whom we are more emotionally connected as compared to whom we don’t know much. We pay attention on them, their activity, their things and their life style. When it comes to social networking we also pay more attention to their social activities, their posts etc. We have motivation to pay attention and participate in their activity potentially because we are more emotionally connected with them. Usually we comment on their posts and give presence more on the people we attached emotionally as compared to the people we know less.  

2. Dignity of a person 
A person is connected in a social network with different kind of people; some are higher positions, some low positions. So generally people comment on the posts of other people who are at same position. Example, in a social network some teachers are connected with each other along with students. If a student posts something, probability of getting comments will be high from other students. But if a teacher posts, then other teachers will be more enthusiastic in commenting.

3. Post is not so worth
If the content is not too effective but we are influenced by that person who has posted it, we prefer liking than commenting.

4. Users have to think for 'Commenting'
Generally people avoid giving comments because they have to think the appropriate comment. It increases the cognitive load and ‘Like’ gives the easy path to avoid it.

5. Just wanted to show presence or pretend
It happens with most of the friends circle or groups, a person doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s sentiments and also he/she is not much interested in post then he/she ‘Likes’ than ‘Commenting’.

6. They don’t have anything to say
Sometimes content or post is having some ethical issues of some religious issues, in these cases people avoid text or comment. Sometimes users have nothing to say so they ‘Like’ and move forward.

7. Less communication skills/hesitate to speak in public
It is an important factor why most people avoid ‘commenting’ – less or weak communication skills. The problem of hesitation and less confident communication skills leads to less commenting.

8. Comment from a person depends upon other’s response
Sometimes our ‘Commenting’ activity depends upon relevancy of post as well as comments of others. If a person is getting influenced by another person’s comment then he/she may reply or comment.

9. Inspired by a person or follow a person
We give more interest on posts of people to whom we follow and if they post we generally self-motivated to comment.

10. Mental state of a person 
Ultimately all the work depends upon people's mood whether they are happy or having some tension in mind.

11. It depends upon place, environment of using that application as well as on device
Giving comment, writing, typing depends upon the environment where I am using that application. Like if a person is using application on mobile then probability of comment will be less on any post than liking.

12. We comment if we are intentionally targeted or involved or influenced.
Generally people don’t comment unless they get something more interesting. If any other person have tagged you in any comment or targeted you in, then you will start giving interest in that post and you will be more motivated to comment or reply.

13. Don’t want to be highlighted among the group of people.
Generally people comment to show their social presence and if a person doesn't want to be highlighted in a group, they don’t comment.

14. Laziness
And last it is my kind of people who don’t want to do efforts in typing and thinking comments; Laziness.

About author

1. Abhishek Jain (UXDesigner) (Twitter: @UxdAbhi )
2. Shiva Subhedar (UXDesigner)