Can the Internet offer a mirror into your personality? Apparently, the answer is yes, according to recently published research.
The researchers conducted the experiment on 37 undergraduate students who were interviewed and rated on how likable they were. Their Facebook pages were also independently rated on how likable they were.
The key finding was that participants rated as more likable in the flesh also tended to be rated as more likable based on their Facebook page. Moreover, an analysis of the cues used to make these judgments also showed parallels between the two mediums.
Video-recordings of the face-to-face contacts suggested it was participants who were more non-verbally expressive (through facial expression and tone of voice) who tended to be rated as more likable.
Similarly, participants with more expressive Facebook pages — for example having more photos available to view — tended to be judged as more likable. Finally, participants who were expressive in the flesh also tended to be expressive on their Facebook page.
This is a small experiment, done only on college students, so the results should be taken with a grain of salt. But it’s not too surprising to find that people who shared more information (such as photos) on their Facebook pages are going to be judged more likable than those who shared very little.
A larger study would have to be conducted to see whether it’s simply the amount or type of information (e.g., more expressive information) displayed on a Facebook page that alone may account for increased likelihood of being liked, rather than a person’s likableness in real life alone. (Did I use the word “like” enough?) 
Read the full entry: People judged as likable in the flesh also make good first impressions online
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Links to This Article
How revealing is your Facebook profile « Free Associations of a London Psychotherapist (5/12/2009)
How revealing is your Facebook profile? « Free Associations of a London Psychotherapist (5/12/2009)
The Luck Laboratory › Do you seem likeable? Just look at your Facebook page (5/15/2009)
From Psych Central's website:
Social Networking Websites: What’s the Point? | Psych Central (8/21/2009)
6 Comments to
“Your Facebook Page is a Mirror Reflection of How Well Liked You Are”
this is frightening.
This says it all “the results should be taken with a grain of salt” agh, why even publish this???
Is this an objective article or a paid for endorsement by Facebook to get more people to add pics? I thought Psychcentral was a serious place!!!!
Very fluffy article. Surveys themselves are barely passable as evidence for study, and limiting the sample to such an isolated group renders the experiment virtually worthless. Brings to mind what a last-minute class assignments turned in by a hung-over sorority girl might look like. Then again, nobody likes boring, blank-faced mopes that are so narcissistic that they won’t take a chance with revealing anything about themselves that has even a remote chance to make them look anything but perfect. And no, I never look in the mirror.
*assignment* — *by* revealing, not with
Well…duh! The people who are like-able on Facebook value the bantering and other such nonsense that makes a person “popular” at a young age. “Popularity” is someone only young people covet. The rest of us want quality relationships and achievement.
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 12 May 2009
