So ladies, how do we feel about guys who post selfies — as in, a lot of selfies. That's kind of odd, isn't it? I mean, scrolling down my Instagram feed the other day I was just thinking it's a particular kind of dude who posts a lot of selfies. And guess what? That behavior isn't necessarily about narcissism. It could be a sign of psychopathy. Uh oh, does this sound like your man?
Ohio State University researchers Jesse Fox and Margaret Rooney gave selfie-taking men questionnaires to plumb the depths of their personalities. They found that men who post a lot of selfies, without editing them, share two classic traits of psychopaths.
1. Lack of empathy.
2. Impulsivity.
Keep in mind, none of the men tested as actual psychopaths; It's just that the volume selfie guys tend to have more traits of psychopathy.
More from The Stir: 10 Ways to Know Very Quickly If Your Man Is a Psychopath
On the other hand, men who assiduously edit their selfies before posting (turns out guys do this more often than you'd think!) score high in narcissism traits. Big surprise there, right? Quick raise of hands, who thinks dating/living with a narcissist is super-duper fun?
Now here's the kicker. Fox points out another study that showed men who mention excessive drinking and more promiscuity (two traits linked to psychopathy) tend to get rated as more attractive by women.
Ladies. What the hell?
Can we huddle for a moment? Say you're single and dating. Now that you've been warned about that one hot guy you know who's always posting selfies from the gym and bragging about getting drunk and banging some chick, what are you going to do?
I'll wait.
THAT'S RIGHT. You're going to avoid/ignore him because most likely he cares more about himself than others and will run your feelings through the meat grinder. Also, he's probably insecure and needs constant affirmation from a perpetually renewing stream of females. Run for the hills. You don't want that.
As for those of you who've noticed your SO or husband posting a lot of selfies lately, this doesn't mean you should cut and run. But I'd be curious about that. Pay attention to how other people respond to his selfies and think about how you could gently bring up the topic without making him feel defensive (because men's egos = fragile as bird bones, especially if he's narcissistic). "I've noticed you post more selfies lately. How come, lover?" Touch his hand gently, smile, and look into his eyes reassuringly so he doesn't leap off the couch and run out the door.
No, I'm serious. Maybe his selfie problem is just the outward sign of some new insecurity, or a need for more affirmation, or some other deeper issues. Or, maybe it's a sign that he is kind of psychopathic and you need to deal with that. Either way, his selfies could be seen as a reflection of your relationship, so talk with him about his social media habits.
By the way, Fox says all of this could apply to women as well. They're testing that idea now … it'll be interesting to see if women who post excessive selfies are any different from men who do.
What do you think about men who post a lot of selfies?
Image via funkyfrogstoc/Shutterstock
