We've all done it: we post a story and a few seconds later, we see it. Then we see it again. And again. Even though we know exactly what we posted, something prompts us to re-look at it – maybe to make sure the lighting was good, the filter was right, or just to see who saw it.
Why can't almost all users of the platform resist the temptation to see what they've posted on Story when they know very well what they've shared with the world?
"Seeing yourself from the outside"
Dr. Allison Forti, a psychologist, told Mashable that the tendency to look at our own posts can be partially explained by a psychological concept called "self-viewing," which implies that people see themselves the way they think others see them.
"People endlessly look at their Instagram posts to inform their identity," she said. "For example, if they see a Story where they think they look good, that they've made others laugh or reflect, and as a result, others perceive them in a positive light, they perceive themselves positively as well."
In other words, by watching our posts we ensure that others think well of us, so that we think well of ourselves.
A performance on the digital stage
Dr. Kent Bausman, an expert in Online Sociology at Maryville University, explains the phenomenon through the sociological concept of dramaturgy: that life, the self, and human interactions are like actors performing on stage.
“When we start the day, when we go out and interact with others, we put on a performance. We’re showing the world who we are,” Bausman explains. “But when we get home, we get off the stage and we calm down. This is where we go backstage and process what happened on stage, how we presented ourselves to people.”
In other words, when we post on Instagram Stories during the day, we perform in front of them. When we get home and review what we posted, we analyze our performance, how interesting, how positive, how natural we are.
Is it harmful?
Not necessarily. Seeing your posts a few times a day is fine as long as you don't feel any negative effects. Like everything else on social media, moderation is key - a little self-respect is healthy, but don't let the number of views become the measure of your worth.
