FACEBOOK POSTS REVEAL SECRETS ABOUT YOU

Whether you enjoy posting public love notes to your sweetie, sharing your photos from that incredible trip to Tuscany or going on a political rant, what you put on your Facebook page reveals a lot more about you than you ever imagined. All those photos and posts expose something about you that you might not like to have divulged to strangers: a hard and fast description of your personality. That's the conclusion of psychologists from Brunel University London, who collected data from 555 Facebooks users. All completed an online survey measuring the "Big Five" personality traits -- extroversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness. The survey also assessed self-esteem and narcissism. The research goal was to examine the personality traits and motives that influence the topics people choose to write about in their Facebook status updates, something that few previous studies have explored.

What your Facebook posts reveal about you:

If you are an extrovert...
You are outgoing and energetic and thrive on being with people. You are naturally friendly and talkative, so you probably think Facebook is the greatest invention of your lifetime. You enjoy posting about your active social life and fun vacations, as well as sharing lots of photos of your large circle of friends.

If you are neurotic...
You are sensitive, nervous and anxious so your Facebook posts are cries for attention and support. In short, you are a Drama Queen or Drama King. You air your grievances in public--and as dramatically as possible. Because you are looking for validation from your friends, your posts tend to be emotional and deeply personal.

If you are open to experience...
Because you are so open-minded, creative and curious you primarily use Facebook to vent about your political beliefs and share other intellectual subjects. Your Facebook page is a great way to tell others about topics you believe are important without mindless chit-chat.

If you are conscientious...
You are organized, responsible, focused and hardworking, so when it comes to Facebook posts, you stick to "safe" topics. You enjoy posting updates about your children, family news and funny things from everyday life. Although you maintain a low-key presence on Facebook, you probably have more friends than other personality types.

If you have low self-esteem...
You post status updates about your romantic partner because you may feel insecure in this relationship. Such posts boost your self-worth and refute others' impressions that your romantic relationship is in trouble. You're more likely to share details about your life on Facebook than you are in person, but because your status updates frequently express negative thoughts, you can be perceived as less likable.

If you are a narcissist...
Naturally vain, you enjoy bragging about diets, exercise and other types of accomplishments. Such posts are motivated by a need for attention and validation from the Facebook community, and when these updates receive a lot of attention through "likes" and comments, it reinforces your inclination to boast. In your compulsive need to attract friends and gain validation, you post quite frequently. "It might come as little surprise that Facebook status updates reflect people's personality traits. However, it is important to understand why people write about certain topics on Facebook," said study leader Dr. Tara Marshall. "Greater awareness of how one's status updates might be perceived by friends could help people to avoid topics that annoy more than they entertain."

So, if you want your Facebook posts to reveal who you really are, then think before you hit the post button.

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