TribBlog: Facebook is Like, Real, Says UT Study

When you post on Facebook, is it you, or the person you wish you were? 

Surprisingly enough, most people's genuine personality mostly shines through the virtual portal, according to new research by University of Texas at Austin pyschologist Sam Gosling. 

From the news release quoting Gosling: 

"I was surprised by the findings because the widely held assumption is that people are using their profiles to promote an enhanced impression of themselves," says Gosling of the more than 700 million people worldwide who have online profiles. "In fact, our findings suggest that online social networking profiles convey rather accurate images of the profile owners, either because people aren't trying to look good or because they are trying and failing to pull it off.

"These findings suggest that online social networks are not so much about providing positive spin for the profile owners," he adds, "but are instead just another medium for engaging in genuine social interactions, much like the telephone."