Does your e-mail address give you away
- TAGS:cutesy, e-mail address, narcissist
I don't pay much attention to e-mail addresses when I see them. That is, unless they're really unusual. Most of the people I correspond with simply have their first initial followed by their last name, then their domain. Most business e-mail correspondence is set up that way and it makes sense because not only is it professional, but it's certainly easier to remember and/or recognize in your address book.
I got a kick out of Robert McMillan's IDG News Service piece "Yes, your goofy e-mail address says something about you". Unlike the names we grow up with, our e-mail addresses are usually our own creation and therefore are usually a pretty good reflection of how we see ourselves. McMillan writes about a recent research paper that looked into how others judge us when it comes to our e-mail addresses.
It's no surprise that if you have a cutesy sounding address you'll be considered easygoing (but unfortunately, also neurotic). And if your address has lofty words like "King" or "thebest" you're more apt to be deemed narcissistic. The funny thing is, it turns out that the people in this study were right five out of six times in their personality assessments.
Just goes to show you that you're right to dismiss choosing an address that doesn't seem "right" to you. After all, people do take notice.
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