Are you fond of taking selfies? Though it might seem like a good way to boost your confidence and feel good about yourself, a recent study advises you to at least do something to control your desire.
A study published in The Open Psychology Journal states that people who love posting their selfie shots through their social media accounts are not automatically can be labeled as narcissists. But doing so can make a person become one.
Phil Reed, a professor of psychology at Swansea University said, "There have been suggestions of links between narcissism and the use of visual posting on social media, such as Facebook, but, until this study, it was not known if narcissists use this form of social media more, or whether using such platforms is associated with the subsequent growth in narcissism." The professor also added, "The results of this study suggest that both occur, but show that posting selfies can increase narcissism.
To gather enough information for the study, researchers monitored the social media usage and the user's personality change of about 74 users, with ages between 18 to 34 years old. According to IFL Science, participants were all given a Narcissism Personality Inventory and Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire where they were required to answer for four months. The goal is for researchers to debunk the relationship between the users and social media's visual forms.
The data revealed that most of the participants, about 60 percent of them, use their social media accounts just to share their selfie shots alone. Others were still fond of other social media activities such as communicating with friends, watching videos and stalking families.
Another revelation showed how investing more time in visual media such as Facebook and Instagram can lead to increase narcissism by a massive 25 percent just by using the platform in four months, as posted by Malay Mail. On the other hand, text-based social media platforms such as Reddit and Twitter creates a lesser effect.
During the study, there were some participants who displayed signs of getting addicted to the use of the internet in the future. Others even experienced withdrawal symptoms whenever they are not using their social media accounts.
Experts advise everyone to take this study seriously. We can help prevent our youth from becoming narcissist by improving their self-esteem, boosting their morale, and by educating them about the possible negative effects of oversharing of selfies.
