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Choosing your profile picture for sites like Facebook, Tinder, Twitter, and Instagram can be a tricky process. Unless you’re a TV anchor/public personality you probably have different profile pictures for each site. On Tinder, the right profile pic can me the difference between fading away into obscurity or getting laid on the regular.
Experts now suggest that the best way to choose a profile picture is to have a stranger choose one for you. This is because you are too familiar with your look, and your photographs. Enlisting the help of a stranger will give that fresh perspective needed. Specifically, strangers are best at choosing photographs for specific social networks.
‘Our findings suggest that people make poor choices when selecting flattering images of themselves for online profile pictures, which affects other people’s perception of them’, said Dr David White, from the University of New South Wales, who led the study.
‘This effect is likely to have a substantial impact on online interactions, the impressions people form and the decisions they base on them, including whether to employ, date, befriend or even vote for someone.’
‘Our results have clear practical implications; if you want to put your best face forward, it makes sense to ask someone else to choose your picture’, said Dr. White.
Researchers found people tended to select images that highlighted positive character traits in line with the context that the image was for.
‘Our results demonstrate that people know how to select profile pictures that fit specific networking contexts and make positive impressions on strangers: dating images appear more attractive, and professional images appear more competent’, said Dr. White. (via DailyMail)
So, next time you’re at a bar that isn’t so crowded you should ask that girl sitting next to you (or the bartender) to choose your profile picture for Facebook, Tinder, Instagram, and Twitter.
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