How many gym pictures do you see in your news feed on Facebook? We all have at least one friend who always posts their fitness activity on Facebook. Pictures with poses that show off their progress in the gym, T-shirts raised up to reveal the tonus of their stomach or the six-pack; most of us are familiar with all these.
But the fitness activity doesn’t end there, does it? You will see pictures of ‘runners,' of those who update you on their healthy diet and on how much they care for their physical appearance.
According to psychology lecturer Dr. Tara Marshall, it's unsurprising that Facebook status updates “reflect people’s personality traits.” That's why researchers at Brunel University conducted a survey which included 555 Facebook users. The research discovered that people who are constantly updating their exercise routines, and who always gravitate their posts around their healthy diets, tend to be narcissists.
The study concludes that the underlying motivation behind the need for fitness and diet updates is these people's need for motivation and validation from the social media community. And these statuses do get the highest number of likes.
Nevertheless, when it comes to the likes, Dr. Tara Marshall states that even though the results suggest that showing off does indeed come with more likes and comments, “it could be that their Facebook friends politely offer support while secretly disliking such egotistical displays.”
Also, the survey measured the ‘Big Five’ personality traits (neuroticism, openness, extroversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness), self-esteem as well as narcissism.
Apparently, those with low self-esteem posted regular updates about their current relationship. On the other hand, conscientious people wrote more updates about their children. Finally, the narcissists posted updates on their fitness achievements and exercise routine, motivated by their need for praise and validation from the Facebook community.
So, next time, be careful with the statuses you post, as many of your Facebook habits can reveal a lot about your personality and, also, your insecurities. Remember that your friends will be more entertained by your originality and creativity.
Reference: Science Daily
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