Addicted to Selfies? According to Studies, You Could Be A Psychopath

[dynamo]

Men addicted to posting selfies online more likely to be narcissistic, impulsive and display other anti-social characteristics, university researchers find

(Telegraph) Footballers, film stars and other men addicted to posting selfies on social media are displaying psychopathic traits, according to a new study.

They are more likely to be narcissistic, impulsive and display other anti-social characteristics such as a lack of empathy, said university researchers.

The findings could shock many famous men who cannot resist posting pictures of themselves on sites such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

A selfie posted by Ellen DeGeneres during the Oscars 2014

became one of the most retweeted pictures ever

But although such actions are associated with psychopathy, it does not mean the vain men are about to go on a murderous rampage.

Instead, it means they score higher than average levels for anti-social traits, Ohio State University researchers told the specialist journal Personality and Individual Differences.

Those who edit their own pictures to make themselves look better show signs of narcissism and self-objectification, said assistant professor of communication Jesse Fox.

The study said narcissism is most commonly associated with vanity, but as a psychological flaw relates to a feeling of being more intelligent, attractive and better than others.

Men who put their pictures online as soon as they can are more likely to show signs of psychopathy, defined as having a lack of empathy or regard to others and impulsiveness.

Researchers conducted tests on 800 men aged 18-40 who completed a survey on their social media output alongside psychological questionnaires to establish personality traits.

Read more on the subject by following THIS LINK.

[happyuk]

That's an interesting take on the psychopathic mindset. They won't necessarily murder but they will suck you dry.

[Joe from the Carolinas]

The news story and findings posted are from 2015. Here’s the abstract of the actual article.. I can’t find a free full text version.

Somehow this looks a little less conclusive.

Posted by Fox & Rooney (2015). The Dark Triad and trait self-objectification as predictors of men’s use and self-presentation behaviors on social networking sites. Personality & Individual Differences, 76, 161-165

An online survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. men aged 18–40 assessed trait predictors of social networking site use as well as two forms of visual self-presentation: editing one’s image in photographs posted on social networking sites (SNSs) and posting “selfies,” or pictures users take of themselves.

We examined the Dark Triad (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) and trait self-objectification as predictors. Self-objectification and narcissism predicted time spent on SNSs.

Narcissism and psychopathy predicted the number of selfies posted, whereas narcissism and self-objectification predicted editing photographs of oneself posted on SNSs. We discuss selective self-presentation processes on social media and how these traits may influence interpersonal relationship development in computer-mediated communication.

Interesting how the research isn’t saying that psychopaths and narcissists post and edit their selfies? These constructs, narcissism, psychopathy, etc are personality traits that vary. In other words, each personality trait has a range.

Each personality trait is not a “yes they have it” or “no they do not”. Rather, these traits are more a question of, “how much of this do they have?”

I think there are very healthy (and unhealthy!) degrees of these constructs, and they are not always pathological Hannibal Lecter types (another media creation).

Let’s take a surgeon that is performing a CABG procedure after a loved one has had a potentially life ending heart attack.

I would want that surgeon to spike on the trait of narcissism so they are confident in her/his sequencing of the surgery, and in their ability to perform the surgery perfectly.

I’d also want such a surgeon to have enough psychopathy that s/he can focus completely on what they are doing, and disconnnect from their emotions and empathy for others.

Not having a wee bit of psychopathy would lead to errors, such as “oh gee whiz, I couldn’t cut this person’s chest open, It might hurt them or I might be called a psychopath”.

In looking at the study’s abstract, it appears online advertisers will get the most use out of this research. US men age 18-40, who took a couple ONLINE SURVEYS for this study, is a pretty large demographic for targeted ads. I wonder how many clicks they engaged in to participate in this research study?

[A Voice from the Mountains]

Posted by dynamo (here)
They are more likely to be narcissistic, impulsive and display other anti-social characteristics such as a lack of empathy, said university researchers.

This reminds me of Alex Jones ranting about how when he went to Hollywood parties years ago, everyone was strutting around in front of every camera they came across, obsessed with trying to get more attention than everyone else. Typical Hollywood behavior.

I hate taking selfies, which is probably some other problem lol.

[petra]

Posted by A Voice from the Mountains (here)
I hate taking selfies, which is probably some other problem lol.

That's really funny!!! I disagree! Ha ha ha!

Nah that's not really a problem, now if you had camera phobia - that could be a problem. I kind of have that! Hate getting my photo taken. So to me, taking selfies would be like torturing myself.

[A Voice from the Mountains]

Camera phobia, that sounds about right. I even have tape over my computer’s built in web cam.

[Joe from the Carolinas]

Posted by A Voice from the Mountains (here)

Posted by dynamo (here)
They are more likely to be narcissistic, impulsive and display other anti-social characteristics such as a lack of empathy, said university researchers.

This reminds me of Alex Jones ranting about how when he went to Hollywood parties years ago, everyone was strutting around in front of every camera they came across, obsessed with trying to get more attention than everyone else. Typical Hollywood behavior.

I hate taking selfies, which is probably some other problem lol.

It very much is typical Hollywood behavior. And that’s what celebrities do to get paid. People need them and demand for them to have some degree of narcissism.

[Ewan]

Just men? Sexist reporting.

Women addicted to taking selfies are? Answers on a postcard to....................

[Flash]

Posted by Ewan (here)
Just men? Sexist reporting.

Women addicted to taking selfies are? pretty... Answers on a postcard to....................

lollllllllllllllllllll

I am blonde you see.

[etheric underground]

800 men is a pretty small cross section to make these statements