Remember that selfie you got just right? The one with the angle and lighting so perfect that you just had to make it your Facebook profile picture? Well, according to a new study, other people may not be so into it. The sex appeal of your selfie may in fact be all in your head.
For the study, University of Toronto researchers collected ratings of selfies from the people who took them and from outsiders. They also asked everyone what they thought of other photos of the same people that they didn't take themselves.
As anyone who has taken a selfie would expect, people thought they looked way hotter and more likable in their selfies than they did in photos other people took. But for outside observers, it was the opposite: They thought people looked better, seemed more likable, and came off less narcissistic in photos that other people took.
The idea that selfies can make someone appear self-absorbed isn't exactly new. The notorious shirtless mirror selfie is often considered an online dating turnoff—the dating site Zoosk found that men who post selfies got fewer messages (though, for whatever reason, women got more). The dating app Coffee Meets Bagel even lists "selfies" as an option when it asks users why they swiped left. And one study conducted last year showed that guys who post selfies on social media really are more narcissistic. Still, who knew selfies could actually make you less attractive?
The good news is that you might actually look all right in that photo your friend took that you thought was unflattering. Better than you do in that selfie you proudly display, at least.
The authors did not immediately return Complex's request for comment.
