Mirrors, selfies, reflections in glass – there are several ways we can see our own appearance. The problem is that they often mislead us. What determines our understanding of our appearance and how does it compare to reality? Two experiments involving 116 people were conducted by psychologists in the UK to find out.
In the first experiment, 77 subjects passed a short five-factor personality test that assessed extraversion, benevolence, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. Researchers used a self-assessment scale to determine how study participants perceive their appearance, achievements, and ability to communicate with others. They were then shown computer-modeled portraits, and asked to select faces that resembled their own. Using the images selected by each subject, an average model was created – his internal self-portrait, which he called a “mental selfie”.
In the final stage of the experiment, real photos of people and their “mental selfies” were randomly shown to independent experts, which allowed them to assess their alleged characteristics on a five-factor scale. A study demonstrates that we can actually guess some personality traits from a person’s face. This experiment was designed to discover the extent to which a person’s self-portrait conveys the character traits he appears to possess.
As it turns out, the idea of one’s character significantly distorts the “mental selfie.” As an example, if a person considers himself to be an extrovert, he perceives that his face conveys self-confidence and receptivity to communication to a greater extent than it actually does. One more interesting pattern: the higher a person’s social self-esteem and confidence, the closer his mental self-portrait is to his real appearance, irrespective of how attractive he is.
In a second experiment involving 39 women, scientists examined how realistic the notion of our own bodies is. Subjects were shown pictures of various body types and asked to choose images that matched their impressions of their body parameters and a typical physique for their age. Participants’ self-perception was assessed using a special scale for measuring body confidence.
Results were similar to those from the first experiment. Many females who were dissatisfied with their bodies imagined themselves to be fatter than they were. The lower their self-esteem, the slimmer they thought their peers with a typical physique for their age should look.
The authors of the study hope that these data will assist in better diagnosing disorders accompanied by a distorted image of oneself. An example of dysmorphophobia is when a person is overly preoccupied with any of his external flaws, real or imaginary.
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