Instagram leads users to be dissatisfied with their own homes
More than half of Instagram users associate dissatisfaction with their own living situation with the platform itself. This is the result of a recent study by Origin. Experts have already found similar results in other studies with regard to professional success and related envy.
For the survey, the researchers interviewed 1,500 adults in the UK who use Instagram as inspiration for their interiors. One in two said they were unhappy with the look of their home. 88 percent of those who are unhappy with their own homes admit to feeling so unhappy at least once a month if they have looked at Instagram accounts beforehand. Users between the ages of 25 and 34 are the most likely to find fault with their interior design.
The study also shows that many respondents have taken elaborate steps to make their home look more "insta-worthy". They changed the interior, bought accessories because they looked good in other Instagram pictures or put pressure on themselves to tidy up even more. The phenomenon of finding one's own home less attractive than others is commonly referred to as Home Dysmorphic Disorder (HDD). The disorder affects both genders, but women are 22 percent more likely to be affected by HDD than men.
Users put pressure on themselves
Only three in ten users say they are satisfied with the look of their home. According to the researchers, the results highlight that people have an unrealistic idea of what they want their home to look like and that they feel a certain pressure to create a certain look in their home. Just recently, another study revealed that Instagram millennials even feel compelled to purchase property because they are afraid of missing out on something important. (pte)