Some of the wildest posts from the subreddit are people sharing things about their lives that they shouldn’t. Some include overly personal information about family members or themselves.
Experts say a person’s need to divulge information is rooted in survival instincts.
As behavioral researcher Erin Carbone explains in a 2023 study she co-authored, disclosing information helps regulate emotional responses to intense situations and improves collective survival by increasing a group’s access to information.
Carbone further noted that oversharing and gossiping can also discourage unwanted social behaviors and contribute to cultural evolution.
“We as people seem to be hardwired to share information with others, and it might be that we evolved this need as a benefit to the group,” Carbone said in a 2024 interview with the Association for Psychological Science. “We disclose information and experience a visceral desire to disclose information even if it no longer serves that original evolutionary purpose.”
Platforms like Quora also offer anonymity. And with the option to conceal one’s true identity, many people can play different versions of themselves. Ultimately, this lets them act loosely and ask wild questions they likely wouldn’t in a formal setting.
According to researcher and educator Dr. Janneke Schokkenbroek, this is the “online disinhibition effect” at play.
“Online, you can be anyone you want. That’s part of the appeal. Most people might tweak their profile a little—a more flattering photo here, a tiny age adjustment there,” Dr. Schokkenbroek wrote.
“People feel freer to act in ways they maybe wouldn’t offline. For some, it’s a chance to escape reality and experiment with a new version of themselves."
