Obsessing over Facebook photos may keep you from enjoying life

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Press Trust of India Washington
Last Updated : Mar 16 2015 | 6:02 PM IST
Trying to get perfect photos to earn 'likes' on your Instagram or Facebook may keep you from enjoying real-life experiences, a new study suggests.
Joseph Grenny and David Maxfield, co-authors of four New York Times bestsellers, conducted a study which found that obsession with posting photos, checking phones corresponds with lower enjoyment.
The study, which surveyed 1,623 people in February, found that more and more people are losing connection with their lives in order to earn 'likes' and social media praise.
About 58 per cent of people surveyed said "posting the perfect picture has prevented them from enjoying life experiences."
About 91 per cent of the respondents said they have witnessed tourists miss a great moment because they were trying to capture it for social media. Many of that same 91 per cent admitted to doing the same thing themselves.
Three out of four people admitted to being rude or distant because they focus more on their phones than people, while one out of four said they've let their smartphones disturb intimate moments, 'Mashable' reported.
Fourteen per cent respondents said they have risked their own safety to get a like-worthy post.
"'Likes' are a low-effort way of producing a feeling of social well-being that takes more effort to get in the real world," Grenny said.
The researchers said that constantly hunting for the right social media moment correlates to low happiness.
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First Published: Mar 16 2015 | 6:02 PM IST

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