Our social media updates give the world an insight into our personality in general, as well as our needs and perspectives on specific issues. But what if there was a way to know exactly how we felt at the time we shared an image, a video, or any other post? To better understand this, researchers at Spain’s Open University of Catalonia created an algorithm that they claim can identify unhappy people by screening the posts they share on social media. The researchers believe that this tool could be useful in diagnosing potential communication problems as well as mental health issues.
For two years, the team worked on this deep learning model. The researchers used American psychiatrist William Glasser’s Choice Theory, which describes five basic human needs: survival, power, freedom, belonging, and fun. They claim that these needs influence the images we post on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. When depressed, Spanish-speaking users were more likely to mention relationship problems on social media than English-speaking users, according to the study.
“How we present ourselves on social media can provide useful information about our behaviors, personalities, perspectives, motives, and needs,” said study leader Mohammad Mahdi Dehshibi in a statement.
For the study, Dehshibi and his colleagues examined 86 Instagram profiles in both Spanish and Persian, which was published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing. They believe that their research will aid in the improvement of preventive measures, ranging from early detection to improved treatment when a person is diagnosed with a mental health disorder.
But how does the algorithm function? Dehshibi illustrates this with the example of a cyclist riding up a mountain. Once at the top, whether the person shares a selfie or a group photo can reveal information about the person’s mental state. When a person chooses a selfie, it is interpreted as a desire for power. If they choose the other option, it is assumed that the person is looking for more than just entertainment, but also a way to satisfy their need for belonging.
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