The Science of Selfies [Infographic]
We are truly living in the age of the selfie.
Named the 2013 Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year and proven powerful enough to crash Twitter, the selfie trend just seems to keep growing with no end. It’s now common to buy phones with front-facing cameras, and there’s even a song about selfies (appropriately titled “#SELFIE”).
Although they seem like harmless fun, is it possible that that selfies say something about the people who post them? Do people who post selfies have less fulfilling relationships with others? Are they more likely to obsess over their appearance? Are selfie-takers just having a good time, or are they narcissists? Our newest infographic explores the science behind selfies, and the results we found may surprise you.
According to research, those who share the most selfies on social media are more likely to alienate their friends, avoid taking criticism seriously, deflect responsibility or blame, and ignore the opinions of others. The data seems to indicate that people with narcissistic traits are more likely to take and post photos of themselves online. Does this mean that everyone who takes a selfie or two is obsessed with themselves? No way! But based on the studies we reviewed, those who frequently post selfies are more likely to be insecure, obsessive, or even narcissistic.
Perhaps the most surprising statistic in our infographic relates to the increase in facial surgery requests. Front-facing cameras on phones and the increase in sharing of photos on social media seems to have made people even more aware of their appearance than before. However, plastic surgery is a drastic solution to what may not even be a problem. Not everyone photographs well, even if they look great in real life.
Although selfies themselves are essentially harmless, studies seem to indicate that those who take and share them often may have some strong personality flaws. Now that you’ve read our infographic, you may think about selfies a little differently the next time you see one.
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