Scientists have finally discovered why we are so addicted Personal PhotosAnd it has nothing to do with vanity. Instead, the researchers say, selfies serve as a way to capture the deeper meaning of particular moments, he says daily Mail.

In this sense, it differs from simple landscape photos, which only document the physical experience of being in that place, say the scholars.

Study coordinator Zachary Nessi, a professor at the University of Tübingen in Germany, explained his findings. “While people have always made fun of the ubiquitous photo craze, selfies have the potential to help people reconnect with their past experiences and, in turn, make up their life stories.”

These images, in which the author depicts, show the greatest meaning of the moment. “It doesn’t have to be associated with vanity,” says Lisa Libby, PhD, a professor of psychology at The Ohio State University.

As part of the study, experts conducted six experiments, in which 2,113 participants took part. In one, participants had to rate a travel situation (a day at the beach with a friend, for example) and answer: 1. Would you like to take a picture of this situation?; 2. How do you assess the importance of this situation? They found that the more important the event was to them, the more they said they wanted to take the photo.

In another experiment, participants examined photos they posted to their Instagram accounts. The results showed that when the author of the photo was in the photo he said the photo made him think about the meaning of that moment. Meanwhile, in the pictures where the author is not visible, the picture makes him think about the physical experience of being in that place.