Do you find yourself much more to your advantage in front of your mirror than in the photos that you are shared? You are not alone. This is even rather common. This constrasted phenomenon, far from being a simple impression, is fueled by psychological, physiological and technical factors which influence the way in which we value ourselves. Explanations.
The mirror: an image that is familiar to us
The first explanation is called thesimple exposure Described in 1968 by Robert Zajonc. The psychologist explains that we tend to prefer what is familiar to us. Thus, in the mirror, we have seen from childhood an inverted image of our face, which our brain recognizes as “normal”. On the other hand, the photo shows our appearance as it appears to others, which can be less familiar and therefore less attractive.
In 1977, Theodore Mita psychologists, Marshall Dermer and Jeffrey Knight also demonstrated this effect during an experience published in The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. They showed the participants two versions of their portrait: the mirror image and the “real”. Most participants preferred the mirror image, simply out of habit.
The photo, a frozen image that escapes us
Another possible factor is that, in front of a mirror, we keep control. Don’t you like yourself? Never mind. Just change angle, expression and posture to be to your advantage. And everything is better. Conversely, a photo captures a moment, often random, which does not always reflect our best version.
A bias of thought that psychologist Johanna Rozenblum had already mentioned us in a previous article. “We often have a critical spirit in our own regard when we look at each other in the photo. Rather than appreciating the memory, we focus on details that we alone see and which come to affix a harsh vision of our image. Obviously, a detail that makes the charm in the other is immediately badly perceived in us!”.
Screens also distort our image
Do not forget the technical factors either. Today, the quality of a camera or a smartphone can distort the lines. The wide angle objectives, currents on mobile phones, can alter the proportions of the face up to 30 %, according to a 2016 study published in The Jama Facial Plastic Surgery review. A mirror, on the other hand, shows us without these distortions and from a natural perspective. Again, in a familiar setting.
Ditto with lighting. At home, we tend to look under favorable conditions (natural or soft artificial light) which highlight our lines. In the photos, the lighting is often unpredictable and can accentuate imperfections or shadows.
Filters, detail that amplifies everything (except our esteem)
Finally, the era of digital filters has aroused new expectations. A 2020 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health has shown that the frequent use of filters on social networks increases dissatisfaction with its natural appearance. The mirror, free from retouching but full of familiarity, returns an image that our brain interprets as more pleasant and more attractive.
Knowing that this discrepancy is normal makes it possible to put the severity with which we judge our photos. Remember that what we see in the mirror like what appears on an image are only two partial versions of the same reality: ours. So it can’t be that terrible as you think.