Some features of Facebook, which allows us to stay connected, may be making us self-centered and less empathic towards others, a new study suggests.
The study by Dr Tracy Alloway, from the University of North Florida, investigated the relationship among adult Facebook users, between ages 18 and 50, and found that some Facebook features are linked to selfishness and some activities may encourage empathy. Alloway and her team conducted a study of more than 400 individuals and asked them a range of questions about their Facebook behaviours.
Participants in the study used Facebook an average of two hours per day and had approximately 500 friends for both males and females. The majority - 89.5 per cent - reported they were included in their profile photo.
To assess how narcissistic they were, participants were given a standard narcissism questionnaire, where they had to choose between statements that best described them.