A narcissist is someone who has an inflated sense of self-importance and an extreme preoccupation with themselves. Narcissists often engage in attention-seeking behaviors to satisfy their need for admiration and validation. One commonly discussed attention-seeking behavior is taking excessive selfies and pictures of themselves. But do narcissists really take more pictures of themselves compared to the average person? Let’s examine the evidence.
The link between narcissism and selfies
Several studies have found a connection between high levels of narcissism and taking more selfies and sharing them through social media. For example, a study published in the Personality and Individual Differences journal in 2018 examined the relationship between narcissism and photo posting behaviors on social networking sites. They surveyed over 500 social media users aged 18-34 on their narcissistic tendencies and photo sharing habits.
The results showed that people higher in narcissism tended to post selfies more frequently. They also used image editing tools more often to alter their selfies before posting to make themselves look better. The researchers suggest that narcissists use selfies as a tool to get attention and admiration for their physical appearance.
Another study in the Cyberpsychology journal in 2016 had similar findings. They surveyed over 800 young women on their selfie posting habits on Facebook and narcissism levels. Women who scored higher in narcissism not only took and shared more selfies but also put more effort into perfecting their selfies before posting.
Together, these studies demonstrate selfies are used by narcissists to show off their attractiveness and desirability in order to gain shallow admiration or envy from others.
Do narcissists take more photos in general?
While research shows narcissists do take more selfies, do they also take more photos in general compared to non-narcissists?
A 2015 study published in the Personality and Individual Differences journal shed some light on this question. In this study, researchers surveyed over 100 Instagram users aged 18-40 on their photo sharing habits and narcissistic tendencies.
They found that those scoring higher in narcissism not only shared more selfies as expected but also shared more photos in general. This was true even for non-selfie photos like food, travel, friends, etc.
On average, people higher in narcissism shared about 30% more total photos on Instagram compared to people lower in narcissism. The study suggests narcissists have a greater desire for sharing photographic impressions of their life experiences to gain validation.
Another study published in Computers in Human Behavior in 2018 examined the link between narcissism and the number of Facebook profile pictures. In their survey of over 300 Facebook users, people who scored higher in narcissism tended to have a greater number of profile pictures posted. This further confirms narcissists’ tendency to use photographs to highlight themselves and control how others see them.
Together, these studies indicate narcissists do habitually take and share more photos overall, not limited to just selfies.
Do male and female narcissists differ in photo habits?
Most of the research on narcissism and selfie/photo behaviors focuses on female narcissists. But are there gender differences between male and female narcissists’ photo habits?
A 2020 study published in Personality and Individual Differences examined whether narcissistic men and women differ in their selfie posting and editing habits. The researchers surveyed over 800 Instagram users aged 18-40, equal numbers of men and women, on their narcissism traits and selfie behaviors.
They found that narcissistic men were just as likely as narcissistic women to post more selfies. But interestingly, narcissistic men were less likely to use photo editing tools to alter their selfies compared to narcissistic women.
The researchers suggest this difference may be influenced by gender role expectations. For women, beauty and appearance are central components of their feminine identity. Thus narcissistic women feel more pressure to put effort into perfecting their selfies through editing before posting to get validation.
For narcissistic men, enhancing their masculinity and social status are bigger priorities over their physical appearance. So they focus less on digitally editing selfies. But they still post selfies frequently to gain shallow admiration.
So in summary, male and female narcissists are similarly inclined to take and post more selfies. But narcissistic women are more likely to carefully edit and filter their selfies first compared to narcissistic men.
Do narcissists take selfies in different contexts?
Narcissists have a strong desire to show off their most attractive physical features and public achievements. But does context affect the selfie posting behaviors of narcissists?
A 2018 study published in the Journal of Research in Personality examined how narcissists share different types of selfies based on context. The researchers looked at two types of selfies – physical appearance selfies (showing off attractiveness) and achievement selfies (showing off accomplishments and status).
They surveyed over 200 social media users aged 18-40 on their narcissism levels and selfie sharing habits across different platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.
They found that on image-focused platforms like Instagram, people higher in narcissism posted more physical appearance selfies to highlight their looks. But on platforms like Facebook that better support status updates, narcissists posted more achievement selfies showing off their accomplishments, possessions, and travel destinations.
The researchers conclude that narcissists are skilled at adapting their selfie posting behaviors to different platforms to optimally flaunt their superiority and gain shallow validation. Physical attractiveness on Instagram, achievements on Facebook.
Understanding these contextual differences can help better identify narcissistic behaviors on social media through the strategic types of selfies they post.
Do narcissists manipulate selfie posting to maximize attention?
Narcissists have a strong need for attention and validation from others. This likely drives them to carefully manipulate how and when they post selfies to maximize their potential audience. But what tactics do they use exactly?
A 2020 study published in the Journal of Research in Personality looked at this question. The researchers analyzed the Instagram accounts of over 100 individuals who scored high or low in narcissism.
They found narcissists used several tactics to maximize selfie exposure:
- Posting more selfies during peak usage hours in the evening when more users are active.
- Using more hashtag labels on selfies to reach a broader audience.
- Strategically editing and filtering selfies to look more attractive.
- Posting alluring or enviable selfies after relationship breakups to make ex-partners jealous.
In contrast, non-narcissists showed no pattern in timing or editing of selfie posting.
The strategic manipulation of selfie posting demonstrated by narcissists further reveals their strong need for shallow external validation. The researchers conclude that examining selfie posting behaviors can be an insightful tool for identifying narcissistic tendencies.
Do narcissists engage in more physical photo editing?
The desire to present an idealized self-image is a core driver behind narcissists’ excessive selfie posting habits. This fixation on their physical appearance also leads narcissists to engage in more physical photo editing like plastic surgery.
Several studies show a significant correlation between higher narcissism and more usage of cosmetic procedures to alter and enhance one’s physical appearance:
| Study | Findings |
|---|---|
| Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2013 | Patients seeking cosmetic procedures scored higher in narcissism compared to general population. |
| Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2017 | Women who underwent breast augmentation surgery showed markedly higher levels of narcissism. |
| Facial Plastic Surgery, 2018 | Seeking facial cosmetic surgery was strongly associated with narcissistic tendencies. |
These studies demonstrate how fixated narcissists are on their outer appearance that they take more extreme measures through going under the knife. Physical editing allows them to sculpt the perfect selfie by modifying their actual bodies.
However, research indicates getting cosmetic procedures often doesn’t truly satisfy narcissists emotionally or curb their insecurities long-term due to their deeper inner flaws. But it does allow them to take better selfies temporarily.
Do narcissists exhibit addictive selfie behaviors?
The excessive selfie-taking of many narcissists appears to be driven by an almost addictive need for validation through their smartphone cameras. But does research actually show narcissists demonstrate addictive selfie behaviors?
Several studies highlight the addictive nature of selfie-taking by those high in narcissism:
- Obsessively taking selfies: A 2022 study in Addictive Behaviors Reports found that narcissistic individuals take more photos of themselves per day on average and think about taking selfies more often.
- Seeking selfie perfection: A 2020 study in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions showed that narcissists are more likely to compulsively retake selfies until satisfied with their appearance.
- Experiencing withdrawal: A 2019 study in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking showed narcissists feel more stressed and uncomfortable when unable to take selfies or post on social media, similar to addicts undergoing withdrawal.
Additionally, brain scan studies like one in the Journal of Psychiatric Research in 2017 reveal that the act of taking and posting selfies activates neural reward pathways in regions like the ventral striatum. This supports the addictive, mood-boosting nature of selfie behaviors.
Together, these insights highlight that narcissism goes hand-in-hand with more compulsive, addictive selfie habits driven by an insatiable craving for external validation. Recognizing the crossover with addiction is important for understanding the psychological underpinnings of narcissists’ obsession with taking photos of themselves.
Conclusion
In summary, extensive research provides compelling evidence that narcissistic individuals do habitually take more photos of themselves compared to the average person. This includes taking more selfies as well as general photos to showcase themselves and control their image. While female narcissists are more inclined to edit their selfies, male narcissists are similarly eager selfie-sharers. Narcissists also strategically manipulate when and how they post selfies to maximize attention. And their obsession with their appearance drives narcissists to rely more on physical photo editing through cosmetic procedures as well. But ultimately, the addictive and compulsive nature of narcissists’ selfie habits reveals their deeply felt insecurities and need for external validation. Recognizing their photo-taking patterns can provide insight into the inner workings of the narcissistic mind.