The Selfie Generation

credits to Mashable.com

 “The most esteemed guardian of the English language has bestowed a prestigious honor upon debatably the most embarrassing phenomenon of the digital age: the selfie.”

-          Ben Brumfield, CNN

credits to RealClear.com

Throughout the ages, self- portraits have been produced by photographers, artists and painters; and with the advancement of technology and the increasing popularity of social media sites comes the greater convenience for many to “create a gallery of regularly uploaded profile pictures taken via cell phone, laptop, or camera held at arm’s length”. The word ‘selfie’ first popped up in an Australian chatroom in 2002, but only gained its digital fame a decade later. The selfie’s popularity has been quite overwhelming, with at least 57 million photos with the ‘#selfie’ on Instagram alone. With this, the Oxford Dictionaries even named ‘selfie’ as the word of the year for 2013, revealing that its frequency of use has increased by a 17,000% since 2012. Today the selfie is described as “A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website” by the Oxford Dictionaries.

    

credits to Luckymag.com

According to psychologists, the reason why people take selfies is that there is an innate need of humans to connect with others and to receive validation and acceptance. Moreover, taking selfies is also a way for young people to express themselves, their mood and to be to explore their identities while sharing this experience with others in the digital world. Taking selfies allow a person to be more selective of what they want others to see, therefore allowing them to shape and highlight their characteristics through filters, different angles and poses. According to Dr. Letamendi, this allows people to create a more 'likeable' self and also allows them to choose photos that seem more like the visual self they wish to present (Erickson, 2013). Although this is the case, many psychologists also claim that selfies have a significant effect on one’s self- esteem and may also open a wide platform for cyberbullying.

Social Comparison

credits to stylecaster.com

 The opinion of others plays a big part in our own identity development; this is called the looking- glass self, a “psychological concept that suggests we develop our sense of self based on the perceptions of those we interact with” said Andrea Letamendi, a doctor of psychology at UCLA. The majority of teenagers that post their photos online expect assurance and compliments; and so there is already an expectation that one should receive comments and likes. This makes them even more vulnerable to negative comments, abuse and comparison. According to some studies, the comments that one receives from his/ her Facebook profile picture “strongly affect their level of perceived physical, social and professional attractiveness”. 

credits to joe.ie

According to Jess Weiner, there has been an increasing pressure to be camera- ready, which may elevate self- esteem issues, and so the expectation of comments on social media sites brings a more competitive aspect. She also says that many women and girls who are shy use selfies to portray themselves as a different character, and so a lot of self- editing takes place. This constant seeking of approval could be damaging to the confidence of young people and may warp their later perception on life. Dr. Hibberd, a clinical psychologist says that “young children today are developing inappropriate self- awareness at a much earlier age, when they should not have to seek approval from their peers but celebrate who they are inside which is far more important”.

Cyber-bullying

credits to softpedia

With the majority of teenagers posting photos in search of approval and assurance, they also make themselves more vulnerable to abuse, says Dr. Hibbard. The anonymity of the internet has a huge influence on the kind of feedback one receives on social media. Online there is a greater possibility to be scrutinized because people” interact through a protected, anonymous filter, potentially making any self-esteem issues more sensitive”. Some forums exist solely for the purpose of giving constructive criticism on self- submitted portraits, and so suggests the desire of many to maintain an image that would be accepted by society.

               

Selfies provide an avenue for self- expression and interaction, it’s a trend that does not seem to be going any time soon. Although this is the case, selfies present some issues concerning self- esteem, cyber- bullying, and social comparison. Therefore, it is essential that we take on a more responsible role in dealing with anything that we or others post online.

REFERENCES:

Brooker, K. (2013, July 29). Mo' Selfies, Mo' Problems? How Those Pics Can Chip Away At Your Self-Esteem. Retrieved from Refinery29: http://www.refinery29.com/2013/07/50626/selfies

Brumfield, B. (2013, September 13). Selfie named word of the year for 2013. Retrieved from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/19/living/selfie-word-of-the-year/

Erickson, C. (2013, February 16). The Social Psychology of the Selfie. Retrieved from Mashable: http://mashable.com/2013/02/15/social-media-and-the-selfie/

Sedor, J. (2013, December 29). Why We Take Selfies—& Why It's Okay. Retrieved from Refinery29: http://www.refinery29.com/2013/12/59582/selfies-psychology

Sifferlin. (2013, September 6). Why Selfies Matter. Retrieved from Healthland: http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/06/why-selfies-matter/

Slavin, L. (n.d.). The Evolution of Selfie Culture: Self-Expression, Narcissism, or Objectification? . Retrieved from Feminspire: http://feminspire.com/the-evolution-of-selfie-culture-self-expression-narcissism-or-objectification/