• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, April 13, 2011

Stop the presses and hold the phone, everyone: a new study authored by academics at the University of Buffalo and published in a journal called Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking suggests that women who post a lot of photos on social Web sites like Facebook do so to get attention from other people. Just as shocking, the survey of 311 men and women (average age, 23) found that these women are also more likely to base their own feelings of self-worth on their appearance.

Okay, maybe these findings aren't that surprising. Same probably goes for their correlation with other aspects of these women's online behavior: women who tend to post a lot of photos also tend to have larger social networks and engage in more "promiscuous friending," according to Michael A. Stefanone, assistant professor of communications at the University of Buffalo. Stefanone and co-authors also noted a tendency to post lots of photos showing the individual in the company of others, which "may serve to communicate the importance of particular relationships because these bonds may provide security regarding ones appearance and self worth."

There's no question that social networks play a critical (and perhaps excessive) role in shaping self-image and self-worth for many people, sometimes with alarming effects. Several weeks ago Pediatrics, the official publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics, included an article detailing a mental health phenomenon called "Facebook Depression" by pediatricians. Some of the contributing factors are obviously adverse to mental health, including cyber-bullying and the potential self-destructive consequences of risky behavior like "sexting."

However there is a more diffuse -- but possibly more dangerous -- threat to mental health posed simply by the nature of social networks themselves. By allowing some individuals to present idealized images of their own lives -- e.g. through photos or their supposed number of "friends" -- social networks can subtly build unrealistic expectations in users of all ages, but especially among impressionable younger users who are still asserting their own identities.

The AAP noted: "Acceptance by and contact with peers is an important element of adolescent life. The intensity of the online world is thought to be a factor that may trigger depression in some adolescents." What's more, the AAP warned that "parents may lack a basic understanding of these new forms of socialization, which are integral to their children's lives."

Of course, not everyone's buying the idealized images presented by other individuals in their social networks. I recently wrote about the findings of an online survey of 400 women by Eversave which suggest that many women, at least, find some of their Facebook friends' behaviors annoying. No surprise, some of top complaints touched on the subtle game of image-control: 40% said they had at least one Facebook friend who "projects false information or images of a perfect life," while 32% said they were annoyed by Facebook friends "bragging about their perfect lives."