Social media is the destination where users present themselves to the word, revealing their personal details and insights into their world. One of the most popular forms of images shared are Selfies, but what do they say about you?
According to a new study published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, how you take a selfie can reveal a lot about your personality traits. What you wear, the setting you are in, the angle you take and even how you pose reveal a lot about your state of mind and aspects of your character you might not have known about. They can be related to a degree of agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism.
Below we reveal the six most common poses and what they have to say:
The ‘Duckface ‘Pouts
Selfie queens: Kim Kardashian with Kendall Jenner
Originated by tweens and perfected by the Kardashians, psychologists have identified this exaggerated pouting expression with lips thrust outwards and upwards to show large, pouty lips, also known as Duckface, as a sign of neuroticism. This personality trait is pretty high in the emotional instability scale. In the Big Five system of personality categorisation, neuroticism is considered universal and describes neurotic people as pessimistic, insecure, anxious and emotionally unstable. The ‘trout pout’ does in fact send a different message than “Say Cheese!” smile. Don’t you think?
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Low Camera Angle
Miranda Kerr looks approachable in this low camera shot
You are likely to score high on agreeableness if you take a pose from a low angle. Agreeableness is associated with emotional positivity and openness, such as smiling in photos, and is a person’s tendency towards being cooperative and compassionate. Being helpful, cooperative and sympathetic towards are what defines this selfie shot and your character.
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Gym Bunnies
Supermodel Gisele always likes to share inspiring workout pics
After a long and strenuous workout, you want to show the world the results of your physical appearance. A person who constantly brags about their fitness on social media tends to be narcissistic, which by definition is a psychological problem where one gains the pleasure from admiring themselves. However, people who pursue fitness and health are viewed as motivated, disciplines and hardworking. The positive approach to gym selfies is that people who stick with the programme study the changing results of their bodies. This, in result, motivates you to work harder.
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I Eat, Therefore I Am
Drew Barrymore sharing the culinary delights in Tokyo
We’ve seen a great amount of people even celebrities post food shots. This is may be a sign that you want to show everyone that you’re healthy or maybe you just want to make others jealous you’re dining at a lavish restaurant that’s hard to get in to. Fitness fanatics and athletes find this type of selfie as invaluable when recording food intake or simply a way to brag that the healthy diet they are eating helps them look good.
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The Snappy Laughy Selfie
BFFs Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner having a laugh
Displaying positive emotions such as laughing and smiling in photos indicates that you’re always open to new experiences. You’re open, friendly and cooperative and would like to try new things. If an adventure comes your way, you can’t say no to a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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Remember that when people observe your selfies or any other photos you post on your social media platforms, they study your personality traits based on your facial expressions, background, lightning, angle, poses and type of selfie and images you take. The eyes maybe be the windows to the soul, but in this case, selfies are the open door to the personality.
Words: Sophia Fromell, ITHACA LIFE founder and certified Life Coach
Images: Instagram
