Abu Dhabi: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter are just one of many applications allowing people to document and show the world everything they do.

Add in technological innovations like smartphones that make it very easy and simple to take a picture, and what you have is a generation of people constantly taking ‘selfies’ and posting them online for the world to see.

Gulf News spoke to Dr Samer Al Makhoul, head of the department of psychiatry at Abu Dhabi’s Al Noor Hospital, looking to gain an insight into the driving force behind such behaviour.

“The digital world made it easy to pursue interactions with others and find new friends for social interaction unlike in the real world. However social interactions are mainly centred on statements, which are usually written and supported with pictures of individuals.”

“This is becoming increasingly popular due to peer pressure, so people tend to change their behaviour at times to try and fit in. Selfies are fashionable these days since the recent Oscars, but without a doubt something else will pop-up and the selfies phase will fade.”

Dr Al Makhoul explains how people using such platforms are simply imitating the celebrities they see on the media, and looking for their own chance at be a popular figure.

“Reality TV and social media platforms used by celebrities, role models and peers put a lot of pressure on people to follow. For some people it is their chance and opportunity at becoming a celebrity within their own digital world.”

With the advent of so much technological innovation, it’s also made it easier for people to infringe on the privacy of others.

“Our self-esteem, confidence and the way we have been brought up play an important role. Upbringing, at times, enforces on children the need to be compared to their peers, siblings, and other relatives.

“Today, the digital world is for most an alternative world and role models might be friends and normal people rather than parents, leaders, wise men, etc, knowing what other people are doing has become an obsession.”

Some have noted and argued that thanks to the continuing technological innovations people are becoming so vain and addicted to social media programmes, Dr Samer tells Gulf News that social networking will simply continue to evolve and change.

“Modern technology is out there, and we should make the most of it. However, using it in the wrong way can be destructive while, on the other hand, when it is used correctly, the power it has is enormous as there is no limit to how far you can reach.”

“Social networking without a doubt will keep evolving and changing over time. We have seen lots of changes and what was popular yesterday is hardly used today and the same will be for the future.”

Social media is very popular in the Arab world, with over 56 million Facebook users in the region, and over 3 million users on Twitter.

Users in the UAE have the highest penetration on Facebook, and are also among the top viewers on YouTube in the Middle East.

Sami Zaatari is a trainee at Gulf News.