Universita Cattolica study in Milan suggests Instagram erodes bodily identity
Spending too much time on Instagram might actually mess with how you see yourself, says a new study from Universita Cattolica in Milan.
Researchers found that constantly scrolling through filtered and edited photos can make it harder for your brain to recognize your own face and feel connected to your body, a phenomenon they call the "erosion of bodily identity hypothesis."
VR study links Instagram to misidentification
The study used virtual reality with 95 participants (average age 26) and noticed a clear pattern: the more someone used Instagram, the more likely they were to mistake a stranger's face for their own.
Professor Giuseppe Riva, director of the Humane Technology Lab at the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, pointed out that this blurs facial recognition, which is pretty important for knowing who you are.
Lead researcher Dr. Maria Sansoni also warned that younger people, who start using social media earlier, could face even bigger challenges with self-image down the line.
While the study doesn't prove direct harm, it raises real concerns about long-term mental health and body image issues linked to social media use.