Differences in Social Perceptions Between Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera and Cell Phone Selfie Images

Background: In light of the current selfie craze, driven primarily by social media platforms, there is an absolute need among facial plastic surgeons to consider the role of these social platforms in patient counseling regarding their cosmetic requirements. Objectives: Is there a difference in how people are perceived when their image is viewed as a selfie as opposed to a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera image? This objective was studied by utilizing a web-based survey to explore differences in third-party perceptions, if any, between portrait photograph using a DSLR camera and a selfie. Design, Setting, Participants:: This research was performed via a survey study. Five types of portrait images of a female participant were taken for the survey: (1) image taken with the DSLR camera [a Nikon^® D7200 DSLR camera fitted with a Sigma^® DG Macro (70 mm 1:2.8) lens] at a distance of 3from the subject, (2) selfie taken with an iPhoneX^® at 12″ from the subject with a Snapchat^® filter, (3) selfie at 12″ without a Snapchat filter, (4) selfie at 24″ with a Snapchat filter, and (5) selfie at 24″ without a Snapchat filter. Utilizing the Qualtrics survey platform (Qualtrics LLC), questions were based on the five images, where the respondent choose an image each for the youngest, oldest, and "most" or "least" for approachability, attractiveness, confidence, health, feminine, intelligent, and successful. Results: The survey was distributed to 223 respondents aged at least 18 years. Pearson χ² test found significant differences (p < 0.05) in the distribution of the proportion of responses in 14 out of 16 questions in the survey. The proportion of responses to questions for "youngest" and "most approachable" was highest for selfie at distance 24″ with filter; questions for "most attractive," "most healthy," and "most feminine" were highest for selfie at distance 12″ with filter; those for "oldest," "most confident," "most intelligent," "most successful" and "least approachable," "least attractive," "least healthy," "least feminine," and "least successful" were highest for images taken with a DSLR camera. The only insignificant differences were seen in responses to questions for "least confident" (p = 0.5) and "least intelligent" (p = 0.55). Conclusions: Selfie images with filters are exclusively associated with aesthetic qualities, whereas DSLR images are associated with inherent characteristics of an individual.