The effects of the social feedback through the “like” feature on brain activity: A systematic review

Problematic social media (SM) use is a growing concern, particularly among adolescents who are drawn to these platforms for social interactions important to their age group. Despite the ongoing debate over recognizing SM addiction as a distinct diagnostic category, the impact of social feedback, particularly through the "like" button, on brain activity remains under scrutiny. This systematic review studied the neural correlates of online social feedback, focusing on the effects of "like" feedback on brain activity using fMRI and EEG. The review included 11 studies with 504 participants, identifying key brain structures such as the amygdala, ventro-medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and ventral striatum involved in reward processing.