‘Physical bodily interaction with objects and people is necessary to develop a sense of self. Therefore, eliminating physical contact by socially interacting in electronic space, raises the issue of how people present themselves to each other’ (Mead et al., in Barnes, 1999). Some of the common questions that are concerned with online identity and social interaction on the Internet include:
How do people represent themselves in a digital space?
Do they create a digital persona that is a fictitious character or are their digital representations an extension of their face-to-face personalities?
And how do digital personalities relate to their physical presence?
(Barnes, 1999)
In relation to social interaction on the Internet, like blogging, people may be concerned with other bloggers who engage in role-playing. A blogger who engages in role-playing may have a fictitious character or do not represent who they really are in real life, but have a made up life; making up experiences, events, or opinions in his blog. However, other bloggers who interact with this person may not be aware of this, as all interaction is experienced virtually, and not physically, and they will only see this person as who he is on the Internet, as represented. This collaborates with what Turkle (1997) says in her article Constructions and Reconstructions of Self in Virtual Reality, that ‘you are who you pretend to be.’
With blog hosts like Livejournal and Diaryland, members are required to submit a profile/user info in order to use their services. Member profiles can include information like name, location, birth date, email, and interests. Not all of this information is compulsory for the bloggers to include, but it is encouraged that when they do include them, they should be true and genuine, even though bloggers will not necessary know if this information is true.
However, role-playing is not encouraged in social interaction on the Internet, as Boyd (2001) discusses the importance of digital identity management, she states that ‘the value of identity control is not simply autonomy and freedom, but it is the underlying structure necessary for people to develop rich social environments.’
This is why it is important for members of virtual communities, like bloggers, to manage their online identities and impressions, not only through their user profiles, but also through the overall presentations in their blogs, because this enables them regulate their social behavior and engage in more meaningful social interactions.
References:
Barnes, S. 1999. Developing A Concept of Self In Cyberspace Communities. In The Emerging Cyberculture – Literacy, Paradigm, and Paradox. ed. Gibson, S. B., Oviedo, O.O. pp. 169 – 199. Cresskill, N.J : Hampton Press.
Turkle, S. 1997. Constructions and Reconstructions of Self in Virtual Reality: Playing in the MUDS. In Culture of the Internet, ed. Kiesler, S. pp. 143 - 155. Mahwah, N.J. : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Boyd, D. 2002. Faceted ID/entity: Managing Representation in a Digital World. Available: http://smg.media.mit.edu/people/danah/thesis/danahThesis.pdf (accessed: 23 October, 2004)
Links to Related Articles:
BeyondUtopia.net: Identity Construction in Cyberspace
Psychology of Cyberspace: Identity Management in Cyberspace
LAI Kuan Jung 01:15, 24 Oct 2004 (EST)
