In the age of selfies, there’s more to happy snaps than narcissism, study shows

Friends do it, world leaders and entertainers do it, you probably do it and we – abashedly – admit to doing it occasionally too. Taking a selfie is commonplace in social media culture these days. But while it is often criticised as being narcissistic, a new study from master’s students of communications at Brigham Young University in the US suggests that individuals’ motives often extend beyond self-obsession and showing off.

“It’s important to recognise that not everyone is a narcissist,” says co-author Steven Holiday, who collaborated with four colleagues. Through surveys and interviews, the researchers identified three categories of selfie-takers: communicators, autobiographers and self-publicists.

Communicators take selfies primarily to engage their friends, family or followers in a conversation. For example, Anne Hathaway’s “I voted” selfie on Instagram, which encouraged her followers to fulfil their civic duty. “They’re all about two-way communication,” explains co-author Maureen Elinzano.

Autobiographers use selfies as a tool to record key events in their lives and preserve significant memories. Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly, for example, who returned to Earth in 2016 after a year on the International Space Station, chronicled his trip with a number of shots, including a full-blown space suit selfie. Autobiographers, the researchers say, want others to see their photos but aren’t necessarily seeking the feedback and engagement that communicators are.

Self-publicists –those like Taylor Swift or the Kardashians who love documenting their entire lives – are actually the smallest of the three groups, says co-author Harper Anderson. “And in documenting and sharing their lives, they’re hoping to present themselves and their stories in a positive light.”