Selfie Empowerment: The Positive Side of Selfies
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Presentation from American Psychological Association National Convention 2015 by Pamela Rutledge, PhD. We live in the age of selfies. Is this a problem? No. On the contrary, selfies are instant visual communication, focusing on the process of life. They 'speak' to our brains on an emotional level, transmitting not just text but experience. They are also a new visual genre, distinct from all others in history. Portraiture is no longer restricted to the rich and famous and, for the first time in history, we are completely in charge of our own image. Selfies can be empowering and positive, inspiring personal change, increasing mindfulness and gratitude and enhancing social connection.
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Selfie Empowerment: The Positive Side of Selfies
- 1. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO SELFIEEMPOWERMENT Pamela Rutledge, PhD, MBA Fielding Graduate University @pamelarutledge August 7, 2015
- 2. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO THEAGEOFSELFIES
- 3. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO NEWVISUALGENRE
- 4. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO WHATMAKESUS UNIQUE?
- 5. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO EARLYTECH:PAINT&MIRRORS
- 6. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO NEWTECH:THECAMERA
- 7. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO PRE-SELFIEPORTRAITURE
- 8. EARLYSELFIE?
- 9. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO SELFIEASANTI-PORTRAIT
- 12. AUTONOMY
- 13. MINDFULNESS
- 16. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO DECLINEOFWESTERNCIVILIZATION
- 17. POWERFULVISUALDIARIES • Powerful information delivery • Social connection • Presence - mirror neurons
- 19. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO WHYDOPEOPLETAKESELFIES?
- 20. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO SELF-EXPLORATION
- 21. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO SHAREEMOTION
- 22. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO CONTEXT #vacation
- 23. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO #newhaircut ANNOUNCEMENTS
- 24. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO #likemyoutfit SOCIALVALIDATION
- 25. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO #realme SELFNARRATIVE
- 26. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO AUTHENTICITY #nomakeup
- 27. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO HUMOR #animalselfie
- 28. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO NORMALIZING #authenticwomen
- 29. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO MAKINGASTATEMENT #feministselfie
- 30. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO RADICALACTOFDEFIANCE Selfies make bodies visible. They are one way of saying ‘fuck you’ to the body standards that have made us miserable for so long “ “
- 31. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO GETTINGATTENTION #extremeselfies
- 32. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO NEWSELVES
- 33. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO 8WAYSTOBETTERSELFIES
- 34. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO GRATITUDEMOMENTS
- 35. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO SELFLOVE&COURAGE
- 36. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO MEMORYLANE
- 37. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO BFF
- 38. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO ROCKTHEGYM
- 39. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO THANKYOUNOTE
- 40. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO HEARMEROAR
- 41. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO MOODBOMB
- 42. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO BIGMOMENTS
- 43. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO BIGMOMENTS
- 44. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO PRELIMINARYFINDINGS • N=108 • Potential cognitive bias: – “my friends do it a lot, but I don’t” • Most common reasons for taking selfies: – documenting events – feeling good about looks – entertainment value (bored) #selfieresearch
- 45. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO UNDERTHESELFIE I always try to edit the perfect selfie. I try to remove the acne or skin marks or flyaway hairs in an attempt to portray myself in a film like glorification of my life. It is a way to translate my image of myself to people who only see me through unfiltered eyes. I do not ignore that my appearance is imperfect, I just show my personality bleeding through the blemishes to make an outwardly beautiful person to reflect what I hope is a kind soul I have inside.
- 46. 2015 APA Annual Convention AUGUST 6-9, 2015 TORONTO, ONTARIO THANKYOU Pamela Rutledge, PhD, Fielding Graduate University @pamelarutledge prutledge@fielding.edu
Editor's Notes
- http://awdnews.com/technology/selfies-to-replace-passwords-in-mastercard-online-payments-trial
- We live in the age of selfies—those fast-paced digital portraits taken on camera phones. https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/629502260607725569
- Selfies are instant visual communication. They are also a new visual genre, distinct from all others in history. FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE ARE THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE SUBJECT SIMULTANEOUSLY, COMPLETELY IN CHARGE OF OUR OWN IMAGE. https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/629502260607725569
- SELF EXPLORATION: Humans have long demonstrated an interest in self-exploration. From early Greeks to present day, people have used self-study and self-observation to explore identity and sense of self. Trying to figure out who we are and what we’re about is a distinctly human pursuit for almost everyone, whether you are trying to find greater consciousness or figure out what moved you to buy the blue shoes.
- BEFORE THE FLIP CAMERA LENS, WE HAD TO CAPTURE OUR LIKENESS IN OTHER WAYS - MIRROR DURER – 30 REMBRANDT OVER 100 http://www.openculture.com/2013/07/the_genius_of_albrecht_durer_revealed_in_four_self-portraits.html ----- Meeting Notes (8/7/15 08:20) ----- MIRROR - EARLY TECHNOLOGY
- CAMERA http://nypost.com/2013/10/17/the-art-of-taking-selfies-is-nothing-new/
- Historically, selfies were called portraiture, the province of the rich and famous and involved cost and skill. Technology has redefined the meaning. Traditional portraiture was precious, and it was important to demonstrate one’s identity and power.
- MAKING A STATEMENT
- Selfies are anti-portraits—they are casual, fast, fleeting moment. They are about the moment. They make celebrities into ‘real people’ and real people into celebrities.
- Selfies are anti-portraits—they are casual, fast, fleeting moment. They make celebrities into ‘real people’ and real people into celebrities.
- The camera phone with a flip lens, 24/7 Internet connectivity and sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, have turned the selfie into folk art
- They are the ultimate tool for AUTONOMY
- mindfulness—allowing us to focus on mundane and transitory moments.
- Is there anyone who has not taken a selfie? If so, you are increasingly alone. The pope has taken them, Obama has taken them, the German Prime Minister Merkel has taken them, not to mention Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, James Franco and Taylor Swift. Why not?
- Why not?
- Is this the decline of Western civilization? The manifestation of a hopelessly narcissistic generation? No. Selfies are tool of communication far more than they are indicators of vanity.
- Selfies are tool of communication far more than they are indicators of vanity. They are visual diaries that comment on the process of life that continue to morph as the technology enables new ways of capturing and seeing images. They are also powerful because visual images are like broadband for our brains, they communicate much more than text alone because they speak to our instincts and emotions long before we translate words into meaning. Sharing a visual image also makes us feel more connected. We instinctively respond to others as if we were “there.” http://the-secret-diary-of-charlotte.blogspot.ca/
- Nevertheless, psychologists too often seem drawn to the interpretation of selfies as manifestations of psychopathology without examining context and meaning. Are there narcissists who take selfies? Yes. Does taking selfies mean you are a narcissist?
- Selfies facilitate self and identity exploration. One of the most effective ways to know yourself is to see yourself as others see you. Selfies offer the opportunities to show facets of yourself, such as the arty side, the silly side, or the glamorous side. We learn about people by accumulating information over time. Our understanding of everything, include other people, is a synthesis of all the things we know about them. By offering different aspects through images, we are sharing more of ourselves, becoming more authentic and transparent—things that digital connectivity encourages. https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23feministselfie
- Selfies can share a passion or emotion http://awdnews.com/technology/selfies-to-replace-passwords-in-mastercard-online-payments-trial
- Selfies can be more about the context than the self, such as an artistic expression of fashion or photographic technique.
- Selfies can be a transitory question, such as seeking feedback from a friend — “Do you like this outfit?”
- Selfies are not all about seeking external validation. People often say that posters of selfies just want approval. We ALL seek approval. Humans are social animals, driven by the need for connection and social validation. We want to be valued, appreciated, and included in the groups that matter to us.
- Selfies have many layers. As viewers, we are aware that every selfie is self-generated. We also take this into account with every selfie — we inherently look for the sub-test about what is being revealed.
- Selfies feel more real than traditional portraits. Selfies are popular with celebrities who cultivate their fans because in their casual rawness, selfies feel more immediate, intimate and personal, enhancing the celebrity’s connection to their fans.
- Selfies feel more real than traditional portraits. Selfies are popular with celebrities who cultivate their fans because in their casual rawness, selfies feel more immediate, intimate and personal, enhancing the celebrity’s connection to their fans.
- Selfies can be normalizing. COURAGEOUS ACTS. For years, people have been concerned about the amount of images of ‘perfect’ women on the Internet. Between profiles pictures and selfies on photo sharing sites, there are many more photos of ‘real’ people images compared to idealized images by thousands. https://twitter.com/hashtag/authenticwomen
- Selfies that a connect and have the power to start discussions about body image, gender, race, disability. https://twitter.com/OhDianeMarie/status/403600206991597568/photo/1
- CHALLENGING NORMS Selfies make bodies visible. They are one way of saying “fuck you” to the body standards that have made us miserable for so long.
- https://twitter.com/loveJiangsu/status/626297233260965888
- Selfies offer users the ability to create a life narrative through images—silly, ugly, pretty, whatever. Images interact differently with the brain than text. Images encode experience. When we look at old photos, our brains revive the event allowing us to relive some of the emotions, context, and experience. We can look back on our motives and actions and gain insight we couldn't’ get in any other way.
- It’s rare to read an article about selfies, Millennials or Facebook without narcissism making an appearance in the first paragraph. No wonder people, especially parents, get worried when they see the proliferation of selfies posted on Instagram or Facebook as if taking selfies were, well, a normal thing to do. News bulletin: Taking selfies is a normal thing to do, especially if you have embraced visual communication. If taking selfies still seems weird to you, remember, there is no rule that says every selfie has to be shared with others. You are in control. You are the photographer, the subject and the distributor. It’s all up to you.
- Inspirational Moments Selfies: Take a selfie with something you think is beautiful or inspirational or inspires gratitude—a garden, a sunny day, a fresh cup of coffee, or your child bringing you a drawing made just for you. Memories of experiences are stored in multiple neural networks. By looking at the picture again you can transport yourself back to the moment. The image can trigger all the sensory experiences that go along with the moment—such as the feeling of the sun, the smell of the coffee, the color of the flowers, what you were wearing, how your emotions shifted, the sense of love and joy welling up inside you.
- Inspirational Moments Selfies: SELF LOVE
- Create a selfie journal so you can revisit these events It takes no time to create an entry but the impact of looking back over a period of time and seeing those events is incredibly rewarding. It reminds you of all those times that are easy to forget but are the fabric and richness of our lives. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/09/12/a-brief-list-of-pope-selfies-ranked/
- Selfies taken with a friend can be lots of fun. When it’s your best friend, you’re creating a chronicle that will be a shared treasure. You’ll be able to look back on your adventures and relive the reasons you were BFFs.
- Use selfies when you are making change. Create a selfie journal to document your progress—working out, training for a marathon, healthier eating, getting to bed earlier, looking for a new job, getting over a bad relationship, whatever. Even if you think there’s nothing to show, you will be surprised to see how much your forward progress shows in your face.
- Use selfies as thank you notes. Someone send you a new recipe? Take a selfie with the results. Once on a business trip, I sent my sister a selfie because I was wearing the jacket she had given me for my birthday. It shows that you really DID like it.
- Make a point of doing new things and documenting them so you can revisit your moments of courage through radical selfies—not radical like bungee jumping, but radical like something out of your ordinary activities. Attend a meet-up, trying out a new gym, take horseback riding lessons, or totally break loose and order a different flavor of ice cream at Baskin Robbins. Photos of these events provides positive feedback and reinforcement, even when we are doing it for ourselves.
- Use selfies for improving your mood. Take a funny selfie with your cat, dog, parrot, horse or fish. See if you can still play a good air guitar. The selfie doesn’t matter. Erase it if you hate it. The act of creating it will do the trick. But sometimes sharing is good. Happy content spreads more than negative content and happy people attract other happy people. When you make new friends, they might as well be happy ones.
- If it’s okay for Barack Obama to take a selfie at Nelson Mandela’s memorial or a NASA astronaut to document a walk in space, it’s okay for all of us to document our big moments. Who knows how many times you’ll be standing in front of the Grand Canyon or the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
- ACKNOWLEDGING SUBJECTIVITY
- http://awdnews.com/technology/selfies-to-replace-passwords-in-mastercard-online-payments-trial