Chapter 4 – Self and Identity in Cyberspace
Chapter Summary
Identity and Self
- The development of one’s self-concept, including one’s thoughts and feelings about oneself.
- In the online world, the role of identity is where multiple aspects of self can be expressed, which include:
- Actual self – the characteristics that an individual does actually possess;
- Ideal self – the characteristics that an individual would like to possess;
- Ought self – the characteristics that an individual feels they should possess.
- In an identifiable environment, where a person’s identity is known, any deviance from established social norms may be punished or ridiculed.
- In a fully anonymous online world where responsibility is absent, the masks people wear offline are often discarded and their ‘true’ selves are allowed to emerge.
Online Behaviour Theories
- Equalisation hypothesis.
- Removal of social cues due to anonymity of online communication.
- Reduction in stereotypes.
- Increase in social power online.
- Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE) Theory.
- The importance of situational explicit variables in a social situation.
- Complete anonymity will lead to greater group salience.
- Partial identification of group members will lead some members to identify more strongly with certain members than others.
- SIDE Theory proposes that in order to achieve goal-directed groups, each member strives for the group’s goal and not their personal goal.
Impression Management
- Impression management is selectively self-presenting or editing messages to reveal socially desirable attitudes and dimensions of the self.
- Impression management may be affected by several factors, including the effect of anonymous versus identifiable environment, identity, and self-development.
- The role of anonymity in the online world can have both positive and negative effects.
- Negative aspects of anonymity include increases in aggressive behaviour.
- A positive effect is the role of privacy and autonomy.
- Within the area of impression management, a person’s willingness to deceive is paramount.
- Broadcasting: one-to-many with the primary flow outwards from the one and communicating involves one-to-few with reciprocal exchanges.
Identifiable Online Environments
- Internet dating is where individuals have to find a balance between presenting ‘the best self’ on their profile and providing precise information.
- Identities produced on Internet dating sites differ from the identities produced in face-to-face situations, because people on Internet dating sites tend to ‘stretch the truth a bit’.
- Perceptions that others are lying may encourage reciprocal deception, because users will exaggerate to the extent that they feel others are exaggerating or deceiving.
- Facebook is another identifiable online environment.
- Facebook selves appear to be highly socially desirable identities that people desire to have in the real world but cannot achieve.
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Chapter 4 – Useful Websites
Mario Rodriguez speaks about Facebook Privacy and Identity – Exploring your digital self: at TEDxStetsonU.
Christopher ‘moot’ Poole is the founder of 4chan and discusses the case of online anonymity.
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Chapter 4 – Further Reading
Minas Michikyan focuses on the role of social media in psychosocial development and adjustment in emerging adulthood where emerging adults who experienced both identity coherence and identity confusion reported presenting the false self on Facebook motivated by self-exploration.
- Michikyan, M. (2020). Linking online self-presentation to identity coherence, identity confusion, and social anxiety in emerging adulthood. Br J Dev Psychol, 38: 543–565.
- https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12337
Serena Coppolino Perfumi discusses the social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE model) and provides an important lens through which Internet researchers can study computer-mediated interactions. This model is particularly important in explaining the dynamics that can take place when individuals communicate via computer or, for example, utilize social media platforms.
- Perfumi, S.C. (2020). Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects and Media Use. In The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology, J. Bulck (Ed.).
- https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119011071.iemp0151
In this study, Nicole Strimbu and Michael O’Connell seek to broaden the understanding of self-concept as a predictor of online self-presentation by expanding upon previous research with adolescents.
- Strimbu, N. and O’Connell, M. (2019). The relationship between self-concept and online self-presentation in Adults. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 22, 12.
- https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2019.0328
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Chapter 4 – Audio and Video links
Video links
Digital identity – weighing the risks of misuse and missed use by Dakota Gruener
How social media shapes identity by Ulrike Schultze.
Identity and the masks we wear. Can the same be said online?
A personal journey into cyberspace and explore how games such as Final Fantasy XIV can help LGBTQIA+ people by providing safe spaces, community, and opportunities for self-expression.
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Chapter 4 – Essay questions
- Analyse the varying selves that exist in the online world compared to the real world.
- Compare and contrast the Equalisation Hypothesis and the Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE).
- Evaluate the positive and negative effects of anonymity in social network sites.
- ‘Impression management could not exist without anonymity in the online world.’ Examine your answer with regard to current research.