Brandon Stanton (fellow Bulldog!) harnessed the power of social media to become a popular street photographer with his facebook page Humans of New York. Stanton uses his unique skill for combining photography and storytelling to bring people together all over the world. With its humbling subjects and profound wisdom, Humans of New York attracts mostly positive comments (a feat in the digital age). One reason that people may enjoy the page so much is the fact that they are exposed to people of different races, nationalities, and backgrounds in a way that’s accesible. This seems to make interactions with outgroup members on the page more positive, and thereby increasing liking of those outgroups, and decreasing negative interactions. Otherwise known as the contact hypothesis!

Image from Spav Corridor