A psychologist and life coach revealed what your profile picture could say about your personality, explaining how the photo you choose can even alienate potential partners.
Based in the US but originally from Romania, Coach Francesca studied psychology at City University London and has now gained viral fame for sharing psychology tips with her 1.2 million TikTok followers.
While many people often choose the photo they feel they look best in for their online profile picture, trainer Francesca has claimed that the snapshot you choose to show can reveal a lot more than you think.
In Coach Francesca’s most recent video, which has racked up over 600,000 views, the life coach revealed what your profile picture says about the kind of person you are, and even detailed how the angle at which it’s taken can attract or derail potential partners.
Francesca, a Romanian life coach living in the US, took to TikTok to reveal what your profile picture says about your personality.
In a two-part series, she shared that there was much more to profile photos than just looks, and even detailed that extroverts often choose photos of themselves in groups.
Grab your friends! Strike a pose with your best friends if you want people to know you’re outgoing
The psychologist began by discussing what it means if you are surrounded by many other people in your profile picture.
“Extroverts tend to have colorful images where they are surrounded by lots of people,” trainer Francesca revealed.
He explained that extroverts often choose a photo of themselves in a group as their profile picture because that’s where they feel most comfortable.
The chances of an extrovert having an extended social network are quite high, so they most likely want to show off their group.
Not only are they always surrounded by others in their profile photos, but the photo is often brightly colored or the extrovert is surrounded by many colors.
This could also mean that the photo will be of them and their team doing something exciting or attending an event like a festival or concert.
Are you showing too much skin? Sexy photos could mean you have an inferiority complex
Below, the psychologist explained what it means when you try too hard to be sexy in your profile picture.
Francesca explained that a sexy photo could mean you have an inferiority complex
She revealed, “Sexy images can mean that the person has an inferiority complex where they feel like they need to be more expressive or show more to make up for not feeling good enough.”
A 2016 study of 66,000 Twitter users that analyzed personality through social media profile picture choice found considerable differences in the profile pictures of people with various personalities.
It showed that those who are seen as nice and conscientious chose photos with positive emotions attached, while users who are more open with others chose photos that are more aesthetically pleasing.
The study demonstrated psychologists’ notion that without us realizing it, our profile picture says a lot about who we are.
So while you may be trying to attract a partner by showing a little more skin, the psychologist warned that you may actually be pushing those potential partners away.
Stick to the same photo unless you want people to think you’re insecure
If you constantly change your profile picture, it may be a sign that you are not sure
“Constantly changing your profile picture can symbolize that the person does not have a strong identity and is quite insecure,” the life coach revealed.
It is also said that people who have a new profile picture every week are extremely indecisive and do not trust people easily.
If you are constantly changing your profile picture, this could mean that you are having an identity crisis and are seeking attention from others.
Another reason for changing your profile picture often could be that you feel hurt or betrayed.
A good rule of thumb for how often you change your profile picture is to change it a few times a year or if there’s a major change in your life.
Choosing a couple photo could mean that you trust your partner too much
PDA is out! Avoid a photo with your boyfriend because it could mean that you trust them too much
If your profile picture is a picture of you and your boyfriend, it could mean that you trust them too much.
In her video, trainer Francesca revealed that this could mean that you see your partner as ‘part of [your] identity’
People with anxious attachment styles tend to post more partner photos than people with avoidant attachment styles.
An anxious attachment style is one of the three insecure attachment styles and is said to often be rooted in fear of abandonment and insecurity.
Anxious attachment relationships are characterized by fear or worry that your partner will not reciprocate your desire for you.
Empathize with others by posing with animals or children.
Francesca added that having photos with animals or children makes you feel empathic.
In her second video, the psychologist detailed even more examples of profile photos that say more about you than you thought.
“Having photos with children or animals shows that you have the ability to empathize or care for others,” the life coach noted.
She added that men often choose these images as a “mating strategy.”
And if you decide to include a photo of yourself and your pet or a child in your dating profile, you may increase your chances of being robbed.
Researchers from the University of Jaén in Spain have revealed that men are seen as less intimidating and threatening on dating apps when they are holding a small dog than when they are alone.
This means that by including that image of you and your pet, you could get more dates and make potential matches more comfortable.
Keep your head up! Avoid looking down unless you want to appear to have a big ego.
If you’re looking down in your photo, it could be a sign that you have a big ego.
It’s often easy to tell if someone has a big ego just by looking at their social media, but Francesca has revealed how to spot a big ego just by looking at someone’s profile picture.
“Down-facing images convey a message of superiority and dominance and can sometimes signify a big ego,” the psychologist said.
However, social media was once a place for people to connect and actually share updates about their lives; now, it has become difficult for many to differentiate between connecting with someone and sharing something in the hope of gaining attention and boosting their own ego.
Social media addiction has created a generation of ‘attention seekers’ who often turn to social media to satisfy themselves rather than connect with others.
And while it’s easier to spot a big ego in person, Francesca’s advice can help you spot one just by looking at their profile picture.
The psychologist explained that women look at photos as a sexual strategy
Do you want to attract a partner? search in images
In addition to the images of people looking down, the psychologist also revealed what it means when people look up in their profile photos.
“Upward-facing images convey a message of inferiority and submission,” he said.
Trainer Francesca further revealed that women often look up in her photos because it’s a “sexual mating strategy for women.”
Users quickly flooded the psychologist’s comments section with words of praise for her analysis of the profile photos, and others even begged for more.
One user said: ‘TikTok really said for you huh’.
‘I am everything,’ another user added.
“This has to be a series, I want more information,” commented another user.
Another user wrote: ‘I’m going to change my profile picture’.
