Dislikes

Dislikes are negative evaluative responses toward a person, object, idea, activity, or situation. They reflect an aversion or lack of appeal rather than a neutral stance. Dislike can range from mild discomfort to strong opposition and can arise from personal preferences, prior experiences, cultural norms, or perceived threats to one’s values.

Psychologically, dislike is part of attitude formation and affective judgment. It can influence attention, memory, and decision making, and may be stable over time or arise in specific circumstances. Dislikes can be explicit, expressed in words or actions, or implicit, inferred from behavior or reaction.

In digital media, dislikes or dislike buttons provide a mechanism for users to express disapproval of content. They can inform recommendations and moderation, influence creator feedback, and sometimes provoke negative interactions. Some platforms minimize or shield public dislike counts to reduce harassment, while others emphasize qualitative feedback over quantity.

Linguistically, dislike functions as both a verb and a noun. The term is formed by the prefix dis- attached to like, with like deriving from older forms meaning to be agreeable or pleasing. The plural form "dislikes" can refer to multiple instances of disapproval or to the set of things one does not like. Cultural and social contexts shape how explicitly people express dislikes, balancing honesty with politeness and consideration for others.