Not everyone looks like their photo inreal life, and online daters are probably people who’ve faced this truth the most. Infact, there are even threads with tons ofmessages onsocial media where people share their experience ofmeeting acompletely different person from what their profile suggested. This often has nothing todowith photoshop orcatfishing, but other factors that affect the way wethink welook and how others seeus.
WeatBright Side found out the facts about why our looks appear differently toothers and now you can learn about ittoo.
1. Mirrors won’t give your true reflection.
When you look inamirror, who doyou see? Not the person other people see, since our reflection inthe mirror isreversed byour brain. Raise your left hand, and the person inthe mirror raises their right hand. From the way wepart our hair tothe way wesmile, our faces are not symmetrical. The image wesee looking atus from the mirror isnot the face weshow tothe world— left and right are reversed.
2. Photo filters and angles can present your looks differently.
Experienced photographers say that the camera often distorts our appearance and can change iteither for better orfor worse (like while doing selfies). Surprisingly, our brain works like Photoshop. Our eyes (with help from our brain) automatically adjust todarkness and brightness.
Our cameras are not asamazing because they can beadjusted tofocus onhighlights orshadows, but never both atonce. This iswhy acamera will never beable to“see” your true appearance and reflect itthe way the eyes ofother peopledo.
Our eyes “cut” the unnecessary details while looking ataperson inreal life, and this iswhy people aroundus seeus inamore detailed way, while our image inaphoto ischanged bythe details that are inthe photo. And because ofthese details, our pictures may look unflattering even ifweare beautiful inreal life.
3. Itdepends onhow other people see themselves too.
Arecent study has found out that unattractive people overestimated their attractiveness when compared tostrangers. The other side ofthe coin isthat attractive people are usually unaware oftheir physical charm and underestimateit.
Another fact isthat attractive people compare themselves toother attractive people, and unattractive people take their self-esteem from unattractive people. So, our vision ofourselves may beaffected bythe people aroundus, because ofthe way wecompare our appearance tothem.
4. You compare yourself unfairly.
Even though comparing might beanatural drive, insome cases, ittriggers confidence and motivation, inothers, itdoesn’t helpus. Comparing yourself means you are struggling with insecurities which can give you adifferent picture ofyour look orlife.
5. Fear can cloud your perception.
Fear can intensify the perception. Anxiety can target your insecurities and heighten them and itwill look like you are searching for threats. For example, ifyou are afraid that you are starting toshow wrinkles even ifyou are young, you will probably notice them when you look inthe mirror.
6. Changes inyour lifestyle can affect the way you see yourself.
Mood swings, lack ofsleep, hormone imbalance, poor diet, and other mental and physical changes orconditions might affect your self-perception. Let’s take low-energy for example. When you feel tired you probably don’t smile and this means you lack passion. So, because people are like mirrors and reflect what you project, you won’t berecognized asyou see yourself.
Bonus: You can see your real you with a“true mirror.”
Ifyou’re curious about how you look toother people and want tosee yourself asothersdo, you need asecond mirror toundo the effect ofthe first mirror and switch the directions back again. Surprisingly, this service isoffered bysome companies, and they suggest you look atyourself inaTrue Mirror.
First patented in1887, the True Mirror uses acombination of2mirrors, placed atright angles. Itforms aseamless, 3-dimensional, non-reversed image. People who’ve gotten achance tolook atthemselves inatrue mirror said that their experience was, “Like Iam meeting myself for the first time.” That’s how radical the difference was intheir appearance.
Would you like tosee yourself inatrue mirror? How differently doyou look inphotos?
FAQs
People see themselves differently from how they see others. They are immersed in their own sensations, emotions, and cognitions at the same time that their experience of others is dominated by what can be observed externally. This basic asymmetry has broad consequences.
Why do I see myself so different? ›
When you look in a mirror, who do you see? Not the person other people see, since our reflection in the mirror is reversed by our brain. Raise your left hand, and the person in the mirror raises their right hand. From the way we part our hair to the way we smile, our faces are not symmetrical.
Why do I view myself less than others? ›
Many things can lead someone to develop an inferiority complex, known to clinicians as low self-esteem. Often it has to do with how you were raised and how sensitive you are to pressures from society.
How do you view yourself vs how others view you? ›
We construct our self-image based on how we perceive ourselves, often shaped by our beliefs, achievements, and emotions. Conversely, when others view us, they interpret our actions, words, and behavior through their own set of biases and experiences.
Why do we see things differently than others? ›
Differences also emerge due to illness or other ailments that occur during our lives and that cannot be corrected by glasses – cataract, glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration are some examples. So, different levels of visual performance generally have a pathological background.
Why I am different than others? ›
As everyone is different in their own way; however, some things that may make someone stand out from the rest include their unique personality, interests, and talents. Additionally, people may be different because of their life experiences or the way they were raised.
Why do I look different from others? ›
It's all written in your DNA…. The way a person looks is a combination of mum and dad. Skin colour, for example, is a mix of like how blue and yellow make green. Parents pass their look from the DNA; so, a child has half of his DNA from mom and a half from dad.
Does mirror show your real face? ›
When you look in a mirror, what you're actually seeing is a reversed image of yourself. As you're hanging out with friends or walking down the street, people see your image un-flipped. So that mole that you're used to seeing on your right cheek is actually on your left to the person facing you.
Is the mirror or camera more accurate? ›
Which Is More Accurate: Mirror Or Camera? The truth is neither flat mirrors nor cameras show us exactly how we look. Both methods are susceptible to distortions influenced by various factors. Mirror images offer self-perception reflections (when reversed), while camera photos capture how others perceive us.
How to look at yourself differently? ›
You can get a head start by knowing what the beliefs are. You can work with negative beliefs by questioning and reframing them. For every negative thought you have about yourself, gently push yourself to balance it by adding something positive. If thinking positive things feels really hard, try to stay neutral.
Some of the many causes of low self-esteem may include: Unhappy childhood where parents (or other significant people such as teachers) were extremely critical. Poor academic performance in school resulting in a lack of confidence. Ongoing stressful life event such as relationship breakdown or financial trouble.
How can I improve my view of myself? ›
Be kind to yourself
- Get to know yourself. For example, what makes you happy and what you value in life. ...
- Try to challenge unkind thoughts about yourself. ...
- Say positive things to yourself. ...
- Practise saying no. ...
- Try to avoid comparing yourself to others. ...
- Do something nice for yourself.
What we see in the mirror can be different from what others perceive when they look at us. See more pictures of emotions. When you look at yourself in a mirror, what you see depends on the quality of that mirror. Similarly, our mental images of ourselves help determine how we react to daily highs and lows of life.
What are the three views of self? ›
According to Carl Rogers, the self-concept has three different components: The view one has of oneself (self-image) How much value one places on oneself (self-esteem or self-worth) What one wishes one were really like (ideal self)
How do you view yourself positively? ›
Practice positive self-talk.
Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you. Think about things you're thankful for in your life.
Do people see me the way I see myself in the mirror? ›
When you look in a mirror, what you're actually seeing is a reversed image of yourself. As you're hanging out with friends or walking down the street, people see your image un-flipped. So that mole that you're used to seeing on your right cheek is actually on your left to the person facing you.
Do you see yourself more attractive in the mirror? ›
According to University of Barcelona researchers, people have an inaccurate view of their own appearance and rate themselves as more attractive than they actually are. This effect is stronger when they view themselves in the first person as opposed to the third person.
What's the most accurate way to see yourself? ›
When it comes to accuracy, mirrors are generally considered more reliable than photos or videos. This is because mirrors reflect light in a way that's closer to how we see things in real life.
