Social networks: No distorted ideal images in user profiles
Social networks reflect not users' idealized selves, but their actual personalities. Psychologists from the Universities of Mainz and Münster have reached this conclusion in the journal *Psychological Science*.
Social networks do not reflect the wishful thinking of their users, but their actual personality. This is the conclusion reached by psychologists from the Universities of Mainz and Münster in the journal Psychological Science. "The portrayal in online profiles shows much more of who we actually are than who we would like to be," emphasizes Stefan Schmukle, one of the researchers involved, in an interview with Pressetext. Together with US colleagues, the researchers led by Mitja Back used a questionnaire to survey the actual personality traits and idealized self-images of 236 users of StudiVZ/meinVZ and Facebook. External assessors were then asked to look through the user profiles and make an assessment of their personality. The results surprised even the researchers: the assessment of the strangers matched the real personality of the profile owners and not, as often assumed, their idealized images.
Adjustment very difficult
Certain characteristics can be assessed particularly well by taking a spontaneous look at a stranger's profile, Back emphasizes. In particular, you can find out how much profile holders like social contacts and whether they are communicative and sociable. According to the psychologist from Mainz, the appreciation of new experiences and impressions, imagination, originality and interest in artistic experiences are also recognizable. The susceptibility to worries, nervousness and stress is less obvious, but these are also difficult to assess in other social contexts. "Online profiles are probably not used for self-idealization because the need to express the true self is stronger than the need to pretend," says Back. Pretending is also very difficult on the internet, as a lot of the information on one's own profile comes from other people's feedback and the mere invention of new acquaintances or photo albums is hardly possible. "The viewer relies on the information from the profile, which strengthens trust in online networks," says the head of the study.
Adjustment very difficult
Certain characteristics can be assessed particularly well by taking a spontaneous look at a stranger's profile, Back emphasizes. In particular, you can find out how much profile holders like social contacts and whether they are communicative and sociable. According to the psychologist from Mainz, the appreciation of new experiences and impressions, imagination, originality and interest in artistic experiences are also recognizable. The susceptibility to worries, nervousness and stress is less obvious, but these are also difficult to assess in other social contexts. "Online profiles are probably not used for self-idealization because the need to express the true self is stronger than the need to pretend," says Back. Pretending is also very difficult on the internet, as a lot of the information on one's own profile comes from other people's feedback and the mere invention of new acquaintances or photo albums is hardly possible. "The viewer relies on the information from the profile, which strengthens trust in online networks," says the head of the study.
