# They/Them/He/She/You/Me | Eric Quallen | TEDxJuniataCollege

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWJVLlYoWvU
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/nWJVLlYoWvU
Generated: 2025-11-17T18:02:29.715+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Speaker Eric Quallen, PhD, discusses the pervasive issue of "snap judgment" driven by social media, where rapid categorization based on superficial traits like gender presentation hinders deeper understanding and critical thinking, proposing a collective action strategy of Stop, Think, Reflect, and React to counteract these ingrained biases and foster genuine human connection.

**Key Points:**
- Snap judgments based on minimal visual cues, like gender presentation, occur within milliseconds of meeting someone, often leading to categorization errors.
- The speaker, who was assigned female at birth but identifies as male (using they/them/he/she/you/me pronouns), shares a personal photo from childhood to illustrate that his current presentation is not what people initially expected.
- Excessive social media use is scientifically linked to negative cognitive impacts, including reduced attention spans, impaired decision-making (Iowa Gambling Task), and reduced gray matter density in the anterior cingulate cortex.
- Facebook generated $131 billion in advertising revenue in 2021, demonstrating the massive economic incentive for platforms to keep users engaged via rapid, emotionally driven interactions.
- The proposed solution is a collective, conscious effort: Stop, Think, Reflect, and React, which must be practiced, especially when encountering new information or people online.
- This process encourages individuals to evaluate beliefs, values, and ethics before sharing information or making judgments, thereby countering the brain's inherent bias toward snap categorization.

![Screenshot at 00:04: Slide displaying the talk title "They/Them/He/She/You/Me" and the speaker's name, Eric Quallen, PhD, setting the stage for a discussion on identity and perception.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/nWJVLlYoWvU/00-00-04.png)

**Context:** Eric Quallen, PhD, Director of the Raystown Field Station, delivers a TEDx talk exploring the psychological impact of rapid judgment, often termed "snap judgment" or "snap judgment," fostered by the design and consumption patterns of social media. Quallen uses his personal journey regarding gender identity—showing a childhood photo where he was perceived as a girl, contrasting it with his current presentation—to illustrate how easily external cues lead to incorrect assumptions, emphasizing the need to consciously slow down processing when engaging with information and people.

## Detailed Analysis

Eric Quallen, PhD, addresses the problem of snap judgment, which the brain defaults to when processing information quickly, especially on social media. He illustrates this by showing a childhood picture of himself, noting that he was born physically female, but now presents as male, highlighting that initial snap judgments based on appearance are often wrong. Quallen cites scientific research indicating that excessive social media use correlates with reduced cognitive capacity, lower academic performance (Facebook use), impaired decision-making, and even structural brain changes (reduced gray matter in the anterior cingulate cortex). He points out the financial incentive, noting Facebook's $131 billion in ad revenue in 2021, which pushes platforms to encourage rapid, emotional reactions rather than thoughtful engagement. The core of his solution is a four-step conscious process: Stop, Think, Reflect, and React. He challenges the audience to apply this framework to new information, especially regarding people whose gender presentation might not align with their internal beliefs or biases, arguing that failing to do so leads to dehumanization and potentially violence against marginalized groups like transgender individuals. He concludes by urging collective practice of this method to foster better critical thinking and genuine relationships.

### Introduction and Personal Context

- My name is Eric Quallen
- I was born female but now present male (using they/them/he/she/you/me pronouns)
- The initial photo shows me as a child with a 'STEM' hat and bug net.

### The Problem of Snap Judgment

- We inherently categorize people based on facial characteristics within milliseconds
- This is exacerbated by social media's design for brevity and quick emotional reactions
- Snap judgments can lead to political outcomes, such as predicting election results based on perceived competence.

### Scientific Evidence of Harm

- Excessive social media use reduces gray matter density in the brain's impulse control areas
- College students who are heavy Facebook users show significantly lower GPAs
- The mere presence of a smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity.

### The Proposed Solution (S.T.R.R.)

- The strategy is Stop, Think, Reflect, and React
- This process should be applied when encountering new information or judging others
- This collective action counters the brain's wiring for instant categorization and avoids dehumanization.

![Screenshot at 00:04: Slide displaying the talk title "They/Them/He/She/You/Me" and the speaker's name, Eric Quallen, PhD, setting the stage for a discussion on identity and perception.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/nWJVLlYoWvU/00-00-04.png)
![Screenshot at 00:15: Childhood photo of the speaker wearing a green hat labeled 'STEM' and holding a red bug net, illustrating early interest in science.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/nWJVLlYoWvU/00-00-15.png)
![Screenshot at 00:49: Side-by-side comparison of the speaker as a child \(left\) and as an adult runner/endurance athlete \(right\), demonstrating physical transition and evolution of interests.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/nWJVLlYoWvU/00-00-49.png)
![Screenshot at 01:18: Slide showing the female \(yellow\) and male \(blue\) symbols side-by-side, illustrating the binary categorization the speaker critiques.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/nWJVLlYoWvU/00-01-18.png)
![Screenshot at 02:34: Slide listing research findings on the negative correlation between social media use, mental well-being, and academic performance, and the effect of smartphone presence on cognitive capacity.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/nWJVLlYoWvU/00-02-34.png)
![Screenshot at 04:20: Speaker gesturing while the slide displays the core recommendation: Stop. \| Think. \| Reflect. \| React.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/nWJVLlYoWvU/00-04-20.png)
![Screenshot at 05:58: Speaker emphasizing the point that many people feel judged based on their social media presentation at some point in their lives.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/nWJVLlYoWvU/00-05-58.png)
![Screenshot at 08:34: Final slide showing the four-step process: Stop. \| Think. \| Reflect. \| React.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/nWJVLlYoWvU/00-08-34.png)