401. The psychology of microtrends

We all want to feel that we fit into a social group. But how does this play out when it comes to trends? From 'mob wife energy' to 'cottagecore', rapidly-evolving microtrends put more aesthetic-driven content in front of us than ever before, and it can feel hard to keep up. In this episode, we explore the ways that social media, fast fashion and 'dopamine culture' can pressure us to buy, how microtrend fatigue is giving way to a new type of self-expression, and how we can healthily navigate our own consumption of microtrends. We explore: The 5 stages of a trend, and how microtrends are different How world events influence microtrends Why social contagion, social conformity, and individual expression influence our behaviour Why social media and fast fashion have led to an explosion in microtrends The role of 'dopamine culture' on our brains Microtrend fatigue, and how 'vibes' might be replacing them When to buy, and when to wait Watch on Netflix: HERE Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast

You can listen to 401. The psychology of microtrends online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

401. The psychology of microtrends is an episode from The Psychology of your 20’s by iHeartPodcasts.

This episode is 46:46 long.

This episode was published on Mar 30, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from The Psychology of your 20’s when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.