Contents
Many keep a photo of a life partner or their own child in their wallet. What makes us use a purse, a purely pragmatic thing, like a kind of photo album? Our experts comment.
Veronika Nurkova, psychologist «Close ones protect us from loneliness … and unreasonable actions»
“When we have a photograph of a loved one with us, we involuntarily behave as if he were nearby: we take less risks, we feel more secure and confident, we are not so lonely (the picture creates a “presence effect”) … But at the same time, photographs have something in common with money: both symbolize the blessings of life, without being such themselves. Banknotes are the equivalent of various material goods, and photographs are images of dear people. These symbols coexist peacefully in the space of the wallet. True, now more and more often a paper photo is replaced by a file in a mobile phone, and a bundle of banknotes is replaced by a credit card.
Vadim Petrovsky, psychologist «We need to be reflected in another person»
A series of experiments that I conducted confirmed that the mere presence of a familiar person already makes us change. And when we accidentally glance at a photo of a person significant to us, we remind ourselves of the changes that he makes in us. In the same way, we see in this picture a part of ourselves that lives in it. It is one of our fundamental needs to be reflected in another person. Thus, thanks to the image, we remain in personal contact with him.