A study conducted by Dr. Christopher Carpenter, assistant professor of communication at Western Illinois U., tested 294 participants whose ages ranged between 18 and 65. The volunteers participated in an online survey that asked them questions about Facebook use, according to the study.

The study was conducted to see if anti-social Facebook use could be attributed to narcissism. Anti-social Facebook use can range from a user retaliating against a negative comment to becoming angry if someone doesn’t comment on the user’s status.

But, Carpenter said Facebook does not cause users to become narcissists.

Narcissism is a trait people genetically inherit, and Facebook gives those who share this trait a platform to interact, he said.

According to the study, traits of narcissism include a sense of self-importance or uniqueness, an inability to tolerate criticism, an expectation of special favors without reciprocation and greater leadership ability.

But Carpenter said the narcissistic tendency of leadership could be positive.

Facebook users who have the narcissistic trait of “grand exhibitionism” are predicted to have a high friend count. They want the ability to gain attention from a large audience, according to the study.

According to the study, these people are also more likely to accept friend requests from strangers.

Narcissists on Facebook may leave negative comments that can harm interpersonal relationships, according to the study. Carpenter said narcissists who participate in this behavior often do not know the implications of their actions.

“The purpose of the study was not to find the overall amount of narcissists; it was to find the correlation and the patterns of narcissism on Facebook,” S. Shyam Sundar said.

Sundar is the founder of the Penn State Media Effects Research Laboratory. His research investigates the psychological effects unique to web-based mass communication, he said.

Facebook and Twitter allow users to be the masters of their own domain, Sundar said. If they feel like the “rock star” of their personal page, it can give them a sense of self-importance, he said.

But he said this feeling of importance does not constitute narcissism in everyone. Facebook may give someone who is an introvert the ability to express himself or herself online, he said.

Vanessa Foster said people who constantly change their profile picture may be trying to draw attention to themselves. They may be trying to draw positive comments to boost self-confidence, she said.

Foster said a psychologist might be able to use Facebook to diagnose traits of narcissism, but it is only one way to help with the diagnosis.

“You would have to learn about the person, their behavior, and the environment they interact in,” Foster said.