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. 2025 Aug 1:16:1563592.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1563592. eCollection 2025.

Resistance or compliance? The impact of algorithmic awareness on people's attitudes toward online information browsing

Ying Yuan  1 , Yin Shi  2 , Ti Su  3 , HanXuan Zhang  4
Affiliations

Resistance or compliance? The impact of algorithmic awareness on people's attitudes toward online information browsing

Ying Yuan et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Introduction: With the pervasive integration of big data algorithms into daily life, individuals increasingly rely on algorithmic filtering to access information of interest, yet simultaneously face the risk of confinement within "information cocoons." This study examines how algorithmic awareness influences people's attitudes toward online information browsing.

Methods: Using a 2 × 2 mixed design (algorithmic awareness × browsing purpose), this study reveals the mediating roles of perceived power and internal control. Participants performed simulated information-seeking tasks where all content was randomly presented (eliminating actual algorithmic bias). Mediating roles of perceived power and internal control were analyzed using PROCESS macro.

Results: Algorithmic awareness significantly increases people's compliance, especially when they browse online information with a certain purpose, despite all information in the experiment being presented randomly. Algorithmic awareness increases people's sense of power and internal control over information, which, in turn, increases algorithmic compliance behavior.

Discussion: Results reveal that algorithmic awareness reshapes user behavior through psychological empowerment, even in algorithm-neutral environments. By studying the influencing factors of mobile new media users' compliance and resistance to algorithms, this study is helpful in assisting users to eliminate their state of technological unconsciousness and achieve good algorithmic use.

Keywords: algorithmic consciousness; compliance; internal control; perceived power; resistance.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Flowchart depicting an experimental procedure. Participants fill in informed consent and emotional scale (pretest). They are divided into two groups: the Algorithmic Awareness Group, informed that the information is algorithm-recommended, and the No Algorithmic Awareness Group, informed that the information is random. Both undergo the same procedure, either browsing randomly (no purpose) or finding a film suitable for a class meeting (with a purpose). Finally, they complete a post-test scale (emotion, resistance, control scales) and are informed of the experiment's purpose.
Figure 1
Formal experimental operational flow chart.
Bar chart showing compliance levels under algorithmic awareness conditions. With algorithmic awareness, the purposeful group scored 5.441 and purposeless group 5.829. Without awareness, the purposeful group scored 4.747 and purposeless group 4.912.
Figure 2
The effect of algorithmic awareness on compliance level scored with or without a browsing purpose. Error bars represent ±1 SEM.
Flowchart depicting relationships between Algorithm Awareness, Perceived Power, and Compliance Level. Arrows indicate direction: Algorithm Awareness to Perceived Power (0.62) and Compliance Level (0.78 with 0.14); Perceived Power to Compliance Level (0.23).
Figure 3
The mediating effect of sense of power on algorithmic consciousness and compliance level (purposeful). **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05, +p < 0.1.
Two path diagrams labeled A and B show relationships between variables. Diagram A includes “Algorithm Awareness” leading to “Perceived Power” and “Internal Control,” impacting “Compliance Level” with various path coefficients. Diagram B has similar variables, with “External Control” instead of “Internal,” showing different coefficients. Indirect effects (Ind1, Ind2, Ind3) are noted below each diagram.
Figure 4
(A) An analysis of the chain mediating effects of sense of power and internal control. (B) An analysis of the chain mediating effects of sense of power and external control. ***p < 0.001; **p < 0.01; *p < 0.05; +p < 0.1.
Flowchart illustrating the relationship between “Algorithm Awareness,” “Perceived Power,” and “Compliance Level.” “Algorithm Awareness” influences both “Perceived Power” (0.62) and “Compliance Level” directly (0.62 and 0.08). “Perceived Power” also has a direct effect on “Compliance Level” (0.12).
Figure 5
The mediating effect of perceived power on the influence of algorithmic awareness on compliance level (purposeless). *p < 0.05; +p < 0.1.
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