Recognising Dangerous Patterns in the Media: ‘Dehumanisation Can Lead to Hatred’

How young people decide what’s real: ‘Often you know before you’ve even thought about it’

It happens in the blink of an eye. You scroll through your feed, see a video and within a few seconds you have an inkling: this looks right, or it doesn’t, often without being able to explain exactly why. That moment fascinates Emelie, a PhD student at the University of Groningen. Because how do young people actually determine whether something has been created by AI or not? And perhaps even more interestingly: do they do so consciously, or mainly based on a gut feeling? ‘It often happens faster than people realise,’ she says. ‘You look, and you know. Or think you know.’

Increasingly difficult to spot

That question is becoming increasingly relevant, as images become ever more convincing. With generative AI, it is now easy to create realistic photos and videos. Sometimes it is stated that something was created using AI, but that doesn’t always help. On platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, such labels are often small, hidden or inconsistent. And even when they are there, people regularly overlook them. ‘Even when it’s stated, people often don’t even notice,’ says Emelie. ‘And meanwhile, the generated images themselves are getting better and better. Things you used to spot straight away, you don’t always recognise anymore.’

A hunch or with good reason?

In her research, Emelie tries to understand how people form their judgements and how they make decisions. Sometimes this happens consciously and analytically, for example by paying attention to details or mistakes. But often it happens more quickly. Many people base their judgement on intuition: a feeling that something isn’t quite right, without knowing exactly why. That feeling comes from somewhere. Your brain builds patterns based on what you’ve seen before. The more often you encounter and recognise AI images, the quicker you can process new ones. ‘Your brain automatically compares it with previous experiences,’ she explains. ‘Even before you really think about it.’

Does experience make you better?

That raises an interesting question: do people get better at recognising AI the more they come into contact with it? Emelie therefore also looks at differences between groups, for example between children who spend a lot of time on social media and those who have little experience with it. ‘It could be the case that experience actually helps,’ she says. ‘That by seeing such images more often, you develop a kind of intuition.’ That question also touches on a broader debate. There are regular calls for less, or even no, social media for children. But if experience actually helps people to look more critically, the picture may be more nuanced.

An environment that demands speed

At the same time, the environment plays a major role. New content is constantly appearing on social media. Scrolling is fast, and people make many choices in a short space of time. In such a context, it is not realistic to analyse everything in detail. People are more likely to fall back on quick assessments, based on what they see and recognise. ‘You’re not going to fact-check every video,’ says Emelie. ‘There’s simply no time for that.’

Seeing how people really choose

To better understand that process, she developed an experiment that resembles a game. Participants are shown sixteen images and videos and must indicate as quickly as possible whether they were created by a human or by AI, using two physical buttons. Meanwhile, the researchers measure how quickly they react, how often they get it right and how difficult they find it. This is followed by a discussion: what did they base their choice on? Was it a gut feeling, or could they point out what wasn’t right? ‘This is how we try to figure out exactly what happens in that first moment of exposure,’ she says.

What it ultimately comes down to

The research is still in its infancy, and much remains unknown. Do people really know straight away, or do they just think they do? And how reliable is that initial feeling, really? What is clear, however, is that the way we look at images is changing. Not only because of technology, but also because of the speed and volume at which we view them. And that is precisely why those first few seconds are so important. ‘The question isn’t just whether people are right,’ says Emelie. ‘But above all: what happens in that first moment, when you think you know?’

* Marta Marcora (born in Italy in 2000) studied Linguistics and Literature in Milan, Italy, specialising in media and communication. She spent time as an Erasmus exchange student in Bilbao and Málaga, Spain, before completing a master’s degree in Social Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Groningen, where she is affiliated with two faculties: the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Philosophy.

About this research

This research is made possible by the Ubbo Emmius Fund. The fund supports young talent who contribute ideas for solutions to urgent social issues and helps to translate research insights into practice. By becoming a Friend or Supporter, you too can contribute to research at the University of Groningen.  Curious? Read more.