The impact of online social networks on real world interaction is a sociological phenomenon that will surely be studied for years to come. The most recent revelation though, you might have been able to guess: narcissists use Facebook (and MySpace) for self-promotion, as recently proven in a study by UGA researchers.

"We found that people who are narcissistic use Facebook in a self-promoting way that can be identified by others," said lead author Laura Buffardi, a doctoral student in psychology who co-authored the study with associate professor W. Keith Campbell.

What the researchers have found is that number of friends and wall posts correlates with narcissism. If you think about the friend you have with 800 facebook friends, you probably can easily see how this could be the case. Also looked at was the type of profile picture, and guess what, if you’ve got one of those MySpace mirror shots showcasing your abs? You’re probably a narcissist.

"Nearly all of our students use Facebook, and it seems to be a normal part of people's social interactions," Campbell said. "It just turns out that narcissists are using Facebook the same way they use their other relationships – for self promotion with an emphasis on quantity of over quality."

The study is set to be published in the October issue of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. So the next time you go to criticize Mr. Spiky Hair MySpace Douchebag, remember that it’s not his fault, he has a psychological disorder that makes him crave attention!