The Algorithmic Looking-Glass
A Predictive Model of How Digital Acculturation and Perceived Algorithmic Bias Impact the Well-being of Thailand’s Tai Dam Minority
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22360420 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Panchamaphorn Tamnanwan (Kasetsart University), Danupon Sangnak (0000-0002-4848-9285, Kasetsart University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | e10 |
| Publication date | 2025-09-24 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Asian Journal of Arts and Culture (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2773-9953 • E-ISSN: 2773-9953 |
| Publisher | College of Graduate Studies, Walailak University (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.48048/ajac.2026.10 |
| OpenAlex | W4414947807 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
In an era of digital proliferation, ethnic minorities face unique challenges in maintaining psychological well-being within algorithmically mediated environments that often reflect and amplify mainstream culture. This study addresses the urgent need to understand how interactions with technological systems, rather than just interpersonal contact, shape the mental health of minority individuals. This mixed-methods study examines the factors that influence the psychological well-being of Thailand’s Tai Dam ethnic minority. Drawing on acculturation and social identity theories, the research employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze survey data from 450 participants, recruited via purposive sampling, complemented by a one-year digital ethnography, to test a predictive model. The study introduces and validates a new construct, Perceived Algorithmic Bias (PAB), which refers to a user’s perception that a platform’s algorithm systemically suppresses or negatively represents their cultural content, measured using a newly developed scale based on preliminary qualitative work. The resulting model, which explained 53.8% of the variance in well-being, revealed a critical paradox. While a strong ethnic identity positively predicts psychological well-being (β = 0.258, p
Acculturation · Ethnic group · Mainstream · Perception · Qualitative research · Structural equation modeling · Advanced Technologies in Various Fields · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies
| Citations per year | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |