Are You A Narcissist? Your 'Selfies' Say So, Study Says

Of course, there's nothing wrong with taking a picture of yourself every now and then, otherwise known as a "selfie." But did you know an excessive amount can be a sign of narcissism?

For those who excessively post their mugs online via Instagram, Facebook or wherever online forums allow, these individuals are more likely to score higher on tests regarding narcissism and psychopathy. Furthermore, selfie edits suggest even higher vanity in men.

"It's not surprising that men who post a lot of selfies and spend more time editing them are more narcissistic, but this is the first time it has actually been confirmed in a study," said lead study author Jesse Fox, an assistant professor of communication at The Ohio State University, in a news release. "The more interesting finding is that they also score higher on this other antisocial personality trait, psychopathy, and are more prone to self-objectification."

For the study, 800 men between the ages of 18 and 40 were examined. Participants were asked to fill out questionnaires regarding their social media activity and tendency to engage in antisocial or self-objectifying behaviors. Results showed that posting selfies was typical of narcissistic tendencies.

"That makes sense because psychopathy is characterized by impulsivity. They are going to snap the photos and put them online right away," Fox added. "They want to see themselves. They don't want to spend time editing."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Personality and Individual Differences.

For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).