Are You a Psychopath if You're Not on Facebook? Some Employers, Psychiatrists Think So

There are more than 955 million Facebook users, and it could hurt you to not be one of them.

[More from Mashable: 100+ Hot Jobs in Social Media, Tech and Digital Media]

Some psychiatrists and employers now find it suspicious for an individual to keep off Facebook, reports The Daily Mail. That's because for today's young generation, having Facebook is considered "normal," while opting out is considered "abnormal."

Employers may suspect that an applicant's absence from the social network means the account is so full of offensive material that it had to be deleted. After all, 90% of recruiters check out candidates' online profiles.

[More from Mashable: Oreo?s Facebook Salute to the Mars Landing Will Make You Hungry]

Similarly, psychologists see Facebook activity as a reflection of a healthy social life.

"The Internet has become a natural part of life," psychologist Christopher Moeller told Germany's Der Taggspiegel. "It's possible that you get feelings of positive feedback through online friends." [Translated from German]

In excess, Moeller says, Facebook interactions can reinforce feelings of social anxiety experienced offline.

As the German magazine points out, both suspected Aurora theater gunman James Holmes and the Norwegian massacre shooter Anders Behring Breivik share an absence from Facebook. Tech site Slashdot went as far as to say that Facebook abstainers have reason to be suspected mass murderers.

SEE ALSO: Facebook Use May Lead to Psychological Disorders in Teens [STUDY]

The two shooters had online footprints on more obscure social networks -- Breivik on MySpace and Holmes on Adult Friend Finder.

Do you find it suspicious when you meet someone who's not on Facebook? Do you think being active on Facebook reflects a healthy social life? Let us know in the comments.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, RapidEye

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/psychopath-youre-not-facebook-employers-psychiatrists-think-062946089.html

Tony Sly Lauren Perdue tagged weather radar Heptathlon London 2012 shot put London 2012 Track And Field