A Study Shows That People Who Chase ‘Likes’ in Social Media Are Insecure

Last Updated on 2021-01-20 , 4:19 pm

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat: we all have them. Their biggest draw is attention from those you know and those you don’t, usually in the form of likes. Oh, that delicious little thumbs up/heart button.

It’s the origin of the term “like whore” anyway.

If you find yourself constantly checking how many likes and responses you got from your latest post or selfie, there might be a very big problem.

At least according to this study, of course.

Though we really don’t need a study to know that #justsaying

People Who Chase “Likes” Are Insecure

Carried out at Union College in Schenectady, New York and published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, this study basically concluded that those who obsessively chase feedback and recognition on social media are more likely to be insecure and have a fear of rejection.

Of course, that doesn’t mean everyone who uses social media extensively is considered insecure. You could just be extroverted. Or maybe you’re an uncle / auntie who thinks “Likes” means people have seen your post.

How to Know If You’re Insecure?

Here’s a helpful questionnaire to determine if you’re more likely to be the insecure type though.

• Do you constantly seek likes and comments on social media for everything in your life?
• Do you compulsively check social media frequently?
• Do you feel much better about yourself when you receive lots of likes?

If your answer is yes to all of the above, congratulations, you’re likely to be one of those people who might have attachment anxiety issues.

These people seek out emotional and relationship needs they could not get in real life on social media, which can manifest itself in a neurotic overthinking of social media statuses like personal achievements, relationship statuses and curated snapshots of one’s life.

Before you drain yourself in the desire for more likes, and read into every little thing people post on social media, take a step back and a deep breath, and maybe reassess what you’re really doing on social media.

Of course, if there’s a psychological problem involved, it’ll probably be a good idea to seek professional help.

In other words, yes, you’re correct to say that those influencers are insecure. I mean, we all know that, don’t we?

You might want to watch this video to the end if you’re one who’s obsessed with Likes (and please subscribe to our YouTube channel for more meaningful videos!):

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