Live in the Moment, Don’t Selfie or Snap It as Study Finds Less Benefit for People and Business

    By Kathleen Berger in collaboration with Washington University in St. Louis

    Enjoy living in the moment, and put your cellphone/camera down; that’s the scientific conclusion and everyday advice stemming from a study by a group of researchers involving Washington University in St. Louis.

    Robyn LeBoeuf is professor of marketing at Olin Business School and co-author of this revealing study involving more than five different surveys with 718 combined participants.

    “When people take pictures of experiences that are otherwise highly enjoyable, we find that taking pictures of those experiences makes people enjoy the experiences a bit less,” said LeBoeuf.

    The study was led by Gia Nardini of the University of Denver. “She had gone to a wildlife preserve, but was so focused on getting pictures, she came home thinking, ‘Aw, I missed it.’ ” LeBoeuf said. “We’ve all had those kind of experiences.”

    Thus, Nardini, LeBoeuf and Richard J. Lutz of the University of Florida combined on this research, titled, “How and When Taking Pictures Undermines the Enjoyment of Experiences.” The snapshot finding: If the event is otherwise highly enjoyable, pausing to take photographs will detract from a person’s engagement and enjoyment … and potentially affect the business visited.

    Many study participants were given the task of snapping shots during imagery related experiences, including a documentary considered highly enjoyable.

    “We had one group just watch it. We said to imagine this is a nature tour that you’re doing or a video experience you are having. Watch it and simply just take it in. Then we asked another group to watch it with the same instructions, but we also asked them to take any pictures you would like to take and do that by clicking a button,” LeBoeuf explained. “We found the people asked to take pictures ended up enjoying it less than the people who hadn’t been asked.”

    LeBoeuf said the results of her study will surprise people based on one of the surveys conducted by the research team.

    “People often think either it doesn’t matter or it makes things better. We’re finding that it makes it worse.”

    Making it worse for many experiences that range from birthday parties, weddings, school performances, athletic competitions, concerts, vacations, nature trips, etc. LeBoeuf said the findings apply to taking pictures and videos during experiences people find highly enjoyable.

    “Anytime people are stepping out of the moment to document the moment, I would say these findings would apply,” she said.

    What about taking selfies? LeBoeuf said too much focus on yourself and moments around you slip by.

    “You’re trying to line yourself up in the picture and it’s even a more distracting action than just simply taking a picture,” she said.

    The study is about the act of taking the pictures or videos. It doesn’t even get into the time and focus involved in posting them on social media from the location during the event or experience.

    LeBoeuf said the study advises, to “carve out moments to do one or the other,” shoot photographs or enjoy the experiences.

    What’s more, the businesses where you’re taking those pictures might also thank you.

    From a marketing standpoint, the study offers new insight into why some businesses may want to create a new plan of action.

    “If they find out that people are taking too many pictures and it’s undermining their enjoyment, that might reduce people’s tendency to spread positive word of mouth about the experience, to share their experience in different ways. So there might be things that firms can do,” she said. “Maybe interventions to get people to put down their cameras for a few minutes and maybe stop and enjoy the moment more; and that might help the firms with their bottom line.”

    LeBoeuf wants to make one point clear: having photos and videos from many moments of life are valuable.

    “I’m glad that I have pictures of, say, my son’s first birthday party. But perhaps taking those pictures made me enjoy it less in the moment,” LeBoeuf said.

    In these cases, she advises assigning the snapping of pictures to someone less invested in the situation.