Post Away: Instagramming Your Life Does Make You Happier, Research Finds
[Photo: Pexels]
We always hear about how social media is quietly ruining our lives; that it gives us unhealthy body images, constant FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and has us glued to our phones 24-7 instead of being out there in the real world.
But according to a group of researchers, updating our Instagram feeds can actually make us enjoy experiences more. After conducting nine experiments measuring people’s enjoyment while doing things like eating a meal, going to a museum and exploring a city, they found that its much more pleasing to document the experience through photographs while living it.
[Photo: Pexels]
Because if you think about it, it’s just another way to engage with the things going on around us. The researchers said that as well as having a better time, the people who took photos were much more involved with what was happening than those who did the same activities smartphone free.
That’s because when you’re taking a photo your attention is directed - believe or not - at the subject you’re snapping, boosting your pleasure as a result.
[Photo: Pexels]
Researcher in the study Kristin Diehl told TIME: ‘What we find is you actually look at the world slightly differently, because you’re looking for things you want to capture, that you may want to hang onto.
‘That gets people more engaged in the experience, and they tend to enjoy it more.’
And apparently it’s not just that buzz you get as you click ‘share’ - it’s the act of planning to take the photo that improves the experience.
[Photo: Pexels]
Take that, social media cynics. And if you don’t mind us, we’re off to snap our smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on toast.
What do you think? Does posting photos on social media actually make us happier? Tweet us at @YahooStyleUK.
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