2018 AMI Online Salon
Scientific American Mock Cover for Social Media Issue

Project Details
- Artist(s): Patricia Nguyen
- Contributors: Patricia Nguyen ; Richmond Hill, Ontario
- Client: Marc Dryer
- Copyright: © 2017 Patricia Nguyen
- Medium / software used: 3D/ Maya
- Final presentation format: Print
- Primary audience: General
Project Description
Social media is a big part of our lives and many are unknowingly addicted to it. But, what drives this addiction? A Harvard study found that self-disclosure (widely done on social media platforms) was strongly associated with increased dopamine release, the brain’s reward molecule. Here, the emoji icons represent the dopamine molecule release. The phone and hand are both engulfed into the neural network to represent how attached we are to social media. This piece was intended for the cover of Scientific American, a popular science magazine, targeted towards a lay audience with a scientific interest. Overall, this piece uses the metaphor of emojis as dopamine molecules to communicate how self-disclosure, often practiced in social media, is intrinsically linked to our reward system and may be the reason behind social media addiction.
Explore more of the 2017 AMI Salon:
- All
- :: (PRO)FESSIONAL
- :: (ST)UDENT
- A-1. PRO Non-Com
- A-2. PRO Com
- B. PRO Editorial
- C. PRO Ad
- D. PRO Med-Legal
- E. PRO Book
- F-1 PRO Anim Non-Com
- F-2 PRO Anim Com
- F-3. PRO Anim Ad
- F-4. PRO Anim Med-Legal
- G-1. PRO Intactv Non-Com
- G-2. PRO Intactv Com
- G-3. PRO Interactive Ad
- G-4. PRO Games
- G-5. PRO Interactive Text
- H. PRO Sim/Pros/Sculpt
- I-1. ST Anat/Path
- I-2. ST Surgi/Clinical
- I-3. ST Molec/Bio
- J. ST Editorial
- K. ST Ad
- L. ST Anim
- M. ST Interactive