A new study may have you thinking twice about posting a selfie to Instagram. According to research done by Florida State University, those self-indulgent photos could actually be having a negative impact on your relationships.
To determine the consequences of posting selfies a team of doctors surveyed a total of 420 Instagram users between the ages of 18 and 62. Each person was asked to provide information on the number of selfies they post, their feelings about themselves after, and the current state of their relationships.
What the researchers found was that body image perception was highly influenced by the feedback they received on their selfies. When the approval for their photos was high, so was their personal satisfaction—no suprise there. But, when the response was negative, satisfaction fell. Apparently, that can create Instagram-related conflict and dealing with the online haters can lead to a negative impact on your relationships IRL.
“When Instagram users promote their body image satisfaction in the form of Instagram selfie posts, risk of Instagram-related conflict and negative romantic relationship outcomes might ensue,” the study said.
So, if your relationships are more important than chasing likes on the 'Gram, you might want to lay off the selfies.
