Could Your Selfie Habit Be Hurting Your Relationship?
If you're an especially active Instagram user who loves a good selfie, you may want to take it down a notch for the sake of your love life. A new study has discovered that frequently posting photos of yourself can put a strain on your relationship.
Florida State University researchers asked 420 Instagram users between the ages of 18 and 62 about their selfie habits, body image, and relationship satisfaction. As one might expect, people happy with their bodies were more well-versed in the art of the selfie. However, these photographers' relationships suffered. Selfie-takers experienced more breakups, divorces, and infidelity--and were less satisfied with their partnerships.
One possible reason behind this correlation is that Instagram activity can make their significant others jealous, with public likes and comments coming in from friends, family, coworkers and more. "Body image satisfaction is sequentially associated with increased Instagram selfie posting and Instagram-related conflict, which is related to increased negative romantic relationship outcomes," the authors concluded.
So, if you've been posting a lot of selfies lately, you could be making your significant other jealous--especially if your photos are getting a good reception. And if your partner is an avid Instagram user...you may want to keep your eyes off their feed to avoid future conflict.