A selfie is a photo, usually of a face, taken by yourself with your phone. Photographs of this type have become so popular that special selfie sticks have entered the market - selfie sticks, which make them easier to take. Selfie is the biggest trend also among famous actors, singers, footballers, politicians, etc. People take selfies in virtually every social layer, regardless of their education or workplace. Specialists look for psychological reasons for this fashion. Check how taking a selfie affects our well-being and how to take such a photo correctly.

Contents:

  1. Selfie - what does that mean?
  2. Selfie - types
  3. Selfie - why do we take them?
  4. Selfie - does it cause disorders?
  5. Selfie - what is the best (and safe) way to do it?

Selfie - what does it mean?

Selfieis a kind of self-portrait in the form of a photograph, usually taken with a phone, tablet or digital camera. The selfie is usually only the face. It is inherently related to social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), because this is where it is most often published. The era of photos recorded on film and developed at the photographer's has passed. It was replaced by the rapid development of technology.

In December 2012, Time magazine published the information that selfie was among the 10 most popular words in recent months. In November 2013, it became so common that it was included in the online collection of words Oxford English Dictonary, and was subsequently announced by its publishers as the word of the year.

Selfie - types

Selfie has become so popular, especially on Instagram, that today we can distinguish several types of it. These include :

  • nailfie- photo with painted nails (gel, hybrid);
  • yummytummy- photo with a fit belly, possibly he althy food;
  • iwokeuplikethis- photo without makeup and styled hairstyle, right after waking up;
  • selfie after sex- photo taken (theoretically) right after intercourse with your partner;
  • airmax selfie- a photo with fashionable shoes in the center;
  • yogaselfie- photo taken during yoga classes;
  • belfie- photo aimed at enhancing the sculpted buttocks;
  • dogselfie- photo with your pet, dog.

Selfie - why do we take them?

Selfie is primarily a form of the so-called photos quickly that will capture the moment. Many traditional photos also have the same goal. However, for selfies, e.g. you don't have to bother third parties. You just need to have your phone with you. You turn on the camera, reach out your hand and it's ready. You have a photo of your face or with your friends, captured in some interesting place.

This type of photos allows you to repeat the shot many times until the effect is satisfactory. The fashion for selfies contributed to the question of its popularity - why are we so eager to take photos of ourselves?

1. Image manipulation

People take selfies, for example because it is one of the methods of image manipulation. It is influenced by the proper positioning of the (self) photographed person, light and makeup. In addition, filters that allow you to change the colors of the photo make it easier to take a photo that shows a completely different image of a human than the one presented by him in the real world.

The term "selfie" was first used in 2012 - a user of one of the Australian websites did it, describing his photo.

2. Willingness to show up

In addition, some people have an increased need to present their image on the Internet and share almost every moment of their lives: what they did in the morning, what they ate for lunch, where they went to dinner, on a trip. They need less interaction with other users than just showing up.

3. Encouragement to support a given idea and "infecting" with passion

Others use selfies to talk about an important problem - both their own and those of a larger scale, e.g. they want to encourage the fight for animal rights, draw attention to the problem of global warming or increase the knowledge of other users about a specific disease .

Social media users also use selfies to share their passion, such as traveling, reading, cooking, fashion, sewing, automotive and many more.

4. How you earn

Selfie is also a way to earn money - influencers, i.e. certain types of celebrities in social media who have many followers and the power to influence their shopping choices, oftenpublish selfies paid for by a given brand. For example, they pose with a product of a specific company.

UK OnePoll report from April 2015 shows that women aged 16 to 25 spend 5 hours a week taking selfies.

Selfie - does it cause disorders?

Selfie can be one of the signs:

  • of narcissism;
  • self-love;
  • self-esteem.

Everyone who loves their reflection in the mirror wants to capture it. Sometimes he does it so often that it becomes part of his daily life. As a result, this habit can become an addiction.

In a person viewing other people's selfies, the fact of them being "peeked" may lower their self-esteem and lower their self-esteem. The constant viewing of selfies of strangers on Instagram or Facebook can be quite complex.

In addition, wanting to take a nice photo of yourself can become obsessed with your appearance. This applies to people who share their life events with the world on an ongoing basis, but are not satisfied with, for example, the number of likes or comments other users leave under their photos.

This is confirmed by research conducted by professors at American universities: the University of Strathclyde, Ohio University and the University of Iowa. This research also proves that people who are very confident on portals do not share as much information from their private lives on social networks as those addicted to taking selfies.

Worth knowing

Killer selfie

According to a report by the research company PreCog, 127 people lost their lives while taking selfies. For example, a Polish tourist in Seville fell off the bridge because she wanted a beautiful photo.

In May 2015, Cessna pilot Amripal Singh lost control of the plane and caused a plane crash, killing himself and passengers by blinding himself with a flashlight.

There are plenty of such examples. People are attacked by dangerous animals, fall from heights, injure themselves with ammunition, etc. just to take a picture of themselves. One American teenager took his life after being unable to take a self-satisfied selfie for a month.

Selfie - what is the best (and safe) way to do it?

1.Remember that when taking selfies (even ones you want to surprise others with), first of all, take care of your he alth and life.Position yourself in a place where you can be sure that you are not in any danger!

2.Perspective- Remember to avoid taking selfies from below. This perspective always adversely affects the appearance of the face. Usually, a person seems much thicker then, and in addition, in people who are a few kilograms more, for example, a large chin is emphasized.

It's best if you set the phone at eye level so that the face that is to be its focal point appears as naturally as possible in the photo.

3. Background- Don't take a simple selfie, find an interesting background for taking a photo. Apart from the face, a nice landscape or interesting architecture will definitely increase the artistic value of your photo.

4. Correct profile- check which face profile you have more photogenic. Usually, on the one hand, a person looks better. Since a selfie is a photo that shows primarily a face - try to capture it from the best side.

5. Makeup- Don't apply too much makeup. Every woman can gently emphasize her strengths with it. However, if it is too intense / exaggerated or inadequate to the occasion (e.g. strong evening makeup for a morning run in the park), the selfie may seem comical, and additionally highlight your imperfections and expose you to a wave of criticism.

6. Filters- after taking a selfie, to make it look even better, you can adjust the appropriate filter on your smartphone that will change the colors, saturation or light in the photo. This is a nice way to introduce some fun into taking casual photos.

7. Selfie stick- if you plan to go somewhere alone, provide a selfie stick, i.e. a selfie stick. Not always with your outstretched hand you can capture everything you want. Thanks to this gadget, not only your face will be in the photo, but also sights and views.

Worth knowing

Selfitis is a mental disorder

In 2014, fake news was released that the American Psychiatric Association found taking selfies too often as a mental disorder that even has a name - selfitis. The alarm turned out to be false, American scientists did not find anything like that, but it motivated others to act.

At the end of 2022, an article presenting the results of research by scientists from India and England1was published in the "International Journal of Mental He alth and Addiction". The study involved 225 Indian college students, most of whom actually turned out to be addicted to taking selfies. They were categorized into three categories of selfie phone users: chronic, acute, andborderlines.

It turned out that, contrary to the frequently repeated opinion, men are more addicted to this activity - selfitis was found in 57% of them and 42% of women, 34% of women and men had borderline symptoms, and 40% of men and 25% of women - chronic.

Source:

1. Study available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-017-9844-x

They risk a lot to take a selfie

Two Turkish climbers decided to take a selfie on top of a 240-meter crane.

Source: x-news.pl

Category:

Psychology