Background

It is safe to say that anyone that has ever posted on social media is guilty of posting an overdone cliché image – including yours truly. In this article, I will attempt to delve into why we have a desire to post such clichéd images through analysis of the Social Learning Theory, Groupthink Theory, and lastly the Mirroring Theory. I will also post my personal most-hated cliché photos and the rationale behind my disdain for such images. 

cli·ché
/klēˈSHā/
noun
1. a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.

Theories

Social Learning Theory

The social learning theory explains the importance of observing and modeling the attitudes, actions behaviors, and emotional cues of others. Learning would be exceedingly laborious if we were not to imitate others (Bandura, 1977). By imitating the actions, behaviors and attitudes of others, we are taking a “short-cut” to how to act, react and behave in society by imitation.

Once imitated, we will retain the information and model the behavior through motivated reinforcement. The information retained includes: symbolic coding, cognitive organization, symbolic rehearsal, and motor rehearsal (Bandura, 1977). According to Bandura, the reinforcement of the behavior can be motivated in several ways. The four following behavioral reinforcements on social media can explain why we post cliché images.

1. By the model – A person who increases his/her post (image) engagement performance (likes/shares, etc.) after observing and imitating a cliché image.
2. By a third person – The person receives praise from a role model/successful poster on a such post.
3. Directly through consequences – The person earns royalties or followers while imitating other’s clichés.
4. Vicariously – The person notices other posters earning praise (likes/shares/revenue/followers) while posting such images.

While learning socially, we also easily fall into a “groupthink” mentality.

Groupthink Theory

Groupthink is a phenomenon where a group comes to a unanimous decision about a possible action despite the existence of a fact that points to another course of action that would have a better outcome (Irving, 1972). Although historically, conformity has helped groups of people accelerate in success (from sports teams, to corporations, to nations), but in the context of social media conformity can be extremely annoying. Groupthink conformity can be devastating as well; think about how a group of people follow a leader or trendsetter into making some terrible decisions (think duck-face).   

Mirroring Theory or Chameleon Effect

Like the Groupthink Theory, the Mirroring Theory also explains why we copy each other – and it’s not always a bad idea. From the time we are fresh out of the womb, we copy each other’s social cues, behaviors and actions. This in fact has helped not only humans, but all intelligent creatures to thrive since our creation. Some actions in fact, we cannot help but to mirror; take yawning for example! Other actions and feelings that we mirror are sadness, laughter and disgust (Chartrand & Bargh, 2014).

In a social media context, we can understand the mirroring of others as an attempt to either be like that individual, or achieve the same success (likes/follows/shares, etc.) as that individual. We have all been subjugated to other people’s “duck-face” or “hip-pop” pose and a slew of other monotonous cringe-worthy cliché images that we are inundated by on a daily basis. This is done by people either intentionally mirroring other people for social gain, or unintentionally by our subconscious, socially learning how to act by mirroring others.

Either way, cliché images are extremely annoying. Like I said, we are all guilty of posting cliché images. I am not going to rant about selfies, duck-faces or hip-pops – because I feel that everyone has an unspoken hatred for them (and my personal hatred of those pictures is off the charts and needs no elaboration). The pictures below range from cheesy to cringe-worthy – pictures that I just can’t stand! Just a reminder, this list is subjective and will reflect my bias. I did not include clichés on this list that bother many people, such as cat pictures; because frankly, I love other people’s cat pictures! So, without further ado, here are my:

10 most hated cliché images countdown:

#10 Shoes in a circle

It’s interesting when a group of friends all wear similar shoes, but some things are only funny or interesting in the moment. If it’s an inside joke, keep it inside. Also, this picture is so ubiquitous, that its more like a filler picture that will be more of annoyance than interesting.

#9 Plane wing

Perhaps a hundred years ago, this would be an amazing picture; but we all know about this invention called the aeroplane. We all have these pictures on our phone, but I encourage you all to keep them there. Nobody cares about your excursions into the sky, except you.

#8 Food

My cousin told me about a golden steak he and his friends paid over $500 for, which was prepared by “Salt-Bae” himself. Unless you are posting a picture like that – don’t post food pictures. Promoting your restaurant or “foodie” page is one thing, but nobody wants to see the cucumber and mayo sandwich you are eating. Be in the moment, enjoy the sandwich. You may love it, but I sure hate it.

#7 Train Track Pictures

We are not traveling hobos. Nobody has walked on train tracks on purpose for the past hundred years. To top it off, pretending you are alone while walking on the tracks is even sillier. Unless you work for the railroad company, please do your wedding, engagement or modeling shoot off the tracks. Don’t be cheesy. Not to mention that railroads have suicidal undertones.

#6 Heart hands

For God’s sake, stop making heart hands. This was fairly new 10-years ago with the advent of the smart phone. It’s overdone, old and horrifying now.

#5 Holding the Sun

We have all taken a picture of ourselves “holding” something that is in the distance: the statue of liberty, the Eiffel tower, the Taj Mahal – we have all been there. I despise all of those types of images, but there is nothing worse than “holding” the sun. Yes, it was cool the first few times we saw this image, but it’s outdated and cheesy. It’s been done too much – in every single way imaginable. Please stop.

#4 Placing Baby in Something Fluffy

Anne Geddes must be pissed! Back in the 90s, these types of images were plastered on everything; from computer mice, to coffee mugs, to the infamous Anne Geddes calendar. There are so many things about this cliché that make my skin crawl. First off, it’s a copy of Anne Geddes. Secondly, it’s been done a bazillion times. Lastly, who the hell lets their baby sleep naked in a fluffy nest. We all know that a diaper-free baby is a disaster waiting to happen. 

#3 Sitting on a Cliff

Yes, I have done this before and I apologize, because when I see my friends and family taking pictures of themselves on a beautiful remote cliff, I can’t help but to ask myself: 1) Why are you pretending you are alone? 2) Who is taking your picture? 3) Why have you not done the world a favor and jumped, so we wouldn’t have to endure this picture? Ok, scratch #3, but the picture would be much better if you were not posing in it.

#2 Jumping on the beach

There are different factors of hate that I have towards these pictures, and they can grow as elements are added. Sappy, corny, cheesy, annoying… puke!

Hate level

1. Jumping on the beach – nobody jumps on the beach.
2. Having your picture taken while jumping on the beach – cheesy and unnatural.
3. Wearing coordinating colors while taking pictures while jumping on the beach – this really sickens me (and yes I have had photo clients who I had instructed to color coordinate, so shame on me).
4. Bringing your whole damn family to color coordinate in jeans and white shirts to have your picture taken while you jump on the beach – ok, that’s enough… if you have had this type of cliché image taken, please destroy it and repent.

last but not least…
#1 Leading hands

I must admit – this was an interesting image the first hundred times I saw it. Now everyone on social media has done it and it is my #1 hated cliché. I can just hear the couple saying “OMG, let’s totally hold hands and take an unimaginably unnatural picture”. I have seen this pose done on every possible occasion, in every possible setting. This is the cheesiest cliché of the decade and it needs to stop. If you continue to take this type of picture, you have lost all self-respect. Baa-baa sheeple, have you any originality?

WRAP-UP

As Bandura stated through the Social Learning Theory; we learn by observing others. Many times, this social learning can turn into a groupthink mentality and we all do the same thing as one another. We can understand our motivations to do so through the Mirroring Theory, which pretty much states that we copy each other to gain success and notoriety.

After enduring this rant about repetitious cliché images, I hope you see the point I am getting at. Don’t bee cheesy. We have all been there and posted these types of pictures. As long as we are not sheeple and understand what we are doing, and why; makes us better contributors to human society.

WORKS CITED

Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New York: General Learning Press.
Chartrand, T., & Bargh, J. (2014). The Chameleion Effect: The Perception-Behavior Link and Social Interaction. New York: Yale. Edu.
Irving, J. L. (1972). Victims of Groupthink; a Psychological Study of Foreign-policy Decisions and Fiascoes. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin.