The Emotion Economy: Algorithmic amplification, cognitive fluency, and cultural schemas in Instapoetry

The contemporary literary landscape has been fundamentally reshaped by the rise of Instapoetry: short, visual, and emotionally direct verse disseminated primarily through Instagram, a platform whose image-first architecture and recommender systems privilege affectively engaging content. This article argues that the dominance of this poetic form represents not a superficial cultural trend but an adaptive response to a digitally mediated attention economy. It advances an integrative theoretical framework explaining Instapoetry through the convergence of three dimensions: algorithmic, psychological, and cultural. First, algorithmic amplification on Instagram leverages patterns of repetition and social proof to promote specific formal styles. Second, the cognitive state of the platform’s users—marked by social media fatigue and elevated cognitive load—produces a preference for content high in processing fluency. Third, the cultural motifs that dominate Instapoetry function as accessible affective schemas, enabling readers to engage in self-expression, identity construction, and emotional validation. Drawing on research in media studies, cognitive science, and feminist literary criticism—and referencing the influential work of early Instapoets such as Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace—this paper proposes a multidisciplinary account of how digital infrastructures and human psychology jointly shape contemporary poetic production and reception.