Facebook Users Who Are Insecure Post About Their Relationships, A Lot

Previous studies have shown that looking or posting excessively to Facebook can spur depression and anxiety in some individuals. Other forms of social media have also been known to cause a pinch of low self-esteem in individuals who may worry their life doesn't quite incorporate enough selfies and vacation pictures.

But just what are low self-esteem Facebook users posting? Researchers at Brunel University London surveyed users of the social media site to examine personality traits and motives that might influence the topics they chose to write about in their status updates.

For the study, they collected information from 555 Facebook users who completed online surveys that measured the ‘Big Five' personality traits, including the following, courtesy of a news release: extroversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness - as well as self-esteem and narcissism.

Researchers found that people with low self-esteem were typically posting more updates about their current romantic partner. Narcissists, on the other hand, were more likely to brag about their achievements, which are primarily motivated by their need for attention.

On the other hand, those who were termed with "open" characteristics were more likely to share personal information, with Facebook posts about "events, research or their political views," according to The Independent. Furthermore, researchers found that overall, people were more likely to post relationship-relevant information on days when they might feel insecure, potentially looking for validation of the relationships' worth.

The study authors, however, noted limitations in their research, including how the results were gathered from participated "self-reported Facebook behavior."

Particularly for those with narcissistic tendencies, researchers said they were a bit concerned that some of the results may have also been skewed.

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