Quick blog, but have you ever seen yourself in a mirror that doesn’t reverse your image? It’s a weird thing to think about, but most mirrors reverse your image, so you are used to seeing yourself (and your asymmetries) reversed from how others see you.
This was a study to look at the effect of “Nonreversing mirrors” and patient’s self perception.
Aesthetic Journal, December 2021, “Reflecting on Your Reflection: Examining the Effect of a Non-Reversing Mirror on Self Perception.”
Study:
Aim was the explore the effect of a non reversing mirror on facial self perception, and see whether looking at your true image changes an individual’s goal when doing cosmetic surgery.
They looked at 30 patients. Each patient looked at themselves for 30 seconds in a normal mirror and then a non reversing mirror. After looking, they took a series of tests to analyze the differences.
Findings?
Participants scored significantly better on the Age Appraisal and Appearance Related Psychosocial Distress scales when looking in a standard mirror. 83% saw a qualitative difference in their appearances, and 30% said that looking in a non reversing mirror changed their aesthetic goals.
My thoughts?
It’s wild to think how used we are to looking at ourselves in a mirror, and how that is a flip of what others actually see. Most of us have asymmetries, and we are “used” to seeing the asymmetries in a certain direction (though those around us are used to seeing the flip of what we see). I don’t know how much this would actually change aesthetic goals though, as with any surgery with two sides- facelift, breast surgery, etc- we always aim for the sides to be symmetric. Aim for twins, end up with sisters.
But with new tech, it will be interesting to see how we are confronted with “nonreversing mirrors” more.