A __r__ecent survey found that 1 in 4 women lied about their activities via social media once a month. Keep this in mind the next time you log onto Facebook: That female friend who gloats about her awesome life could totally be fibbing! The Pencourage study, which was conducted on 2,000 women, discovered that they are more likely to lie about being on vacation, their job, even alcohol consumption on their social media pages.
But why would women even care enough to lie on a site such as Facebook or Twitter? The answer is something we can all relate to…
In this day and age with social media taking over our lives, it's no surprise that people are heavily influenced by it. We're easily programmed to be addicted to it that we don't realize that sometimes it's psychologically draining!
Readmore ¿Qué más?: Could Facebook really be making you fat?
The U.K.'s Telegraph reveals that psychologists believe it's a matter of staying "connected" via social media, but it also has a way of making us feel left out. This is what drives women to want to seem more interesting–especially if they're jealous of another Facebook friend's seemingly exciting life and want to impress others.
The survey conducted showed that at least a third of women admitted to being dishonest through Facebook or Twitter as well as some admitting that they exaggerated their life online. Even more surprising is the fact that 30 percent of women admit to lie about what they were doing at home–particularly about alcohol consumption.
Dr. Michael Sinclair, a British Consultant psychologist tells the U.K. Telegraph: "We work very hard presenting ourselves to the world online, pretending, and attempting to be happy all the time which is exhausting and ultimately unfulfilling." He adds that people want their lives to appear perfect online to others and feel like they belong.
There have been times I've likened sites like Facebook to high school because it's all one giant popularity contest. If you're constantly active on it, it represents that you have a good social standing, and if you don't you're a loser. I can see how this can affect women who pride themselves in socializing and being in the know. When you feel left out, you try to compensate that insecurity by trying to appear more interesting–even if it means lying. However, I think this is a warning to everyone that we shouldn't take social media so seriously and simply enjoy it for what it is–without having to compete every time we log on.
Image via Thinkstock
