Who would have thought?
Looking through old pictures can bring back a lot of memories. With Facebook reaching its tenth year in 2014 (!), it has never been easier to find nostalgic pictures from your past. Seeing what clothes you once wore might be embarrassing and coming across a picture of someone you used to be close with might bring on some emotion, but a recent study suggests that these older pictures can actually have a positive, mood-boosting effect.
Researchers at The University of Portsmouth found that browsing through old pictures on Facebook “promotes positive reminiscing and self-soothing feelings.” (http://allfacebook.com/study-facebook-reminiscing_b113354?sf11055433=1)
Out of 134 Facebook users polled, 76 percent said that looking back at their old posts and pictures improved their mood. Seventy-three percent of those polled also said looking at photos that their friends posted to their timelines improved their moods.
While Facebook is still relatively young and online behavior changes frequently, researchers at The University of Portsmouth plan to continue their studies, stating, “although this was only a small study, we will go on to study larger groups to see if the results remain consistent.” (http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/health/facebook-good-for-mental-health-285041.html).
Hopefully, the research will enable us to find more ways to look through old photos on Facebook which will ultimately help improve our mood and make us happy (and not just for finding a great #ThrowbackThursday photo). After all, a picture isn’t just worth a thousand words, it can also make you feel happier… and that is priceless.
Check out our Facebook photos here https://www.facebook.com/lotus823/photos_stream, hopefully it helps improve your mood. 😉
\By the lotus823 Interns. At lotus823, our interns support the agency’s integrated marketing efforts through their work on public relations, social media and search engine optimization initiatives. These students manage the intern Twitter account, craft creative social media content and draft engaging blog posts for a variety of consumer electronic and lifestyle clients. Follow the lotus823 interns at: @lotus823_intern. Read other posts by the lotus823 Interns.