A Review of Literature

Who we are and who we wish we could be: Discontinuity in online identity presentation

A Review of literature

Natalie Chormann

April 29, 2014

Introduction:

            With the undeniable and incredibly extensive rise in the use of social media websites, particularly the widespread popularity of Facebook, the concept of an online identity has been born. One’s online identity is typically defined as how individuals express themselves through computer mediated communication (Dijck, 2013). However, this concept does not come without implications. Often times in self-presentation one is able to control and way one depicts themselves through their profiles and pictures is not the full story of who they are as a person. This begs the question, who are we online? How can these manipulated and idealized versions of ourselves that we are creating be a true representation of ourselves? How does this differ from one’s offline identity, and why? These questions are worth further exploring in understanding the concept of online self-presentation and identity.

So often in todays world we superficially judge each other based on what we see online. Do they have an interesting profile picture? Have a lot of people liked it? If so we assume they must be a likeable person worth getting to know. If not we wonder why they do not have more friends. Has anyone written on his or her wall in awhile? Why not? Do other people not like them? All these basic and superficial assumptions are based on what someone puts forth as a portrayal of himself or herself online, and people are very much aware they are being judged by it (Zhang, Tang & Leung, 2011). Profile pictures that do not receive enough likes are often deleted. Unflattering photos are untagged while photos of interesting or fun events are edited. All this is done to promoted to create the best possible virtual life for oneself; a life others will find attractive. This presentation is important since often times we befriend those judged on what we see online or through the all too common Facebook “stalking’ of another (Zhang et al). Yet, previous research notes that one’s profile is disjointed and disconnected from who they really are, and therefore one’s online identity fails to be an accurate, or even a reasonable, depiction of who they are (Dijck, 2013). What is new and worth exploring is how people are trying to create the ideal version of themselves, of who they wish they could be, on Facebook. There are even tutorials on how to do so! http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Life-Seem-Awesome-on-Facebook. Prior research has noted the discrepancy between one’s identity online and offline, but what is yet to be investigated is how people are using Facebook profiles to create a perfect life for themselves, the life they wish they were living and want others to believe they have. Therefore, this review of literature will explore how one’s online identity on Facebook fails to be accurate depiction of one’s true self as it is an idealized version of themself and creation of the life they wish they lived.      

Self-Perfectionism:

            In a day and age where Photoshop is common, it is not surprising that people would succumb to self-perfectionism while creating their online identity. Photos in particular are often edited by the user to ensure that they are depicting themselves in the way they wish to be seen. This is especially prevalent in profile pictures, (Hum, Chamberlin, Hambright, Portwood, Schat, & Bevan, 2011) and is evidenced in this made for Facebook tutorial: http://www.photoshop.com/tutorials/11765Facebook. These altered or filtered pictures create the image that the person wants to be associated with, regardless if it is a real representation of them or not. Through the use of photographs in online profiles on Facebook, people are able to construct what Imonen (2013) refers to as a “construction of one’s reality through visual art”. Essentially one is able to pick and choose the reality and identity they want others to believe they have through the photographs they upload.

            Furthermore, the ability to be selective in what is posted or not posted, to essentially edit out parts of one’s life that may be less attractive, is not a possibility in identity construction that is based on face-to-face interaction (Zhao, Grasmuck & Martin, 2008). This selectivity also allows for the formation of a perfect version of themselves to be created through this type of profile, (Dijck, 2013) as is showcased in this picture, https://www.facebook.com/331525866867768/photos/a.331526123534409.77403.331525866867768/331526126867742/?type=1&source=11. This lends itself to the conclusion that the identity people create for themselves online not only differs from their offline identity, but is also the idealized life they wish theirs looked like. Through digitally edited and selectively chosen photographs and posts, online identities are an altered depiction of a more perfect version of one’s life which they wish they lived.

Online vs. Offline identity:

The attributes one is known for online may be quite different from how they are recognized offline. Hongladarom, (2011) notes that social networking sites can present a new persona or identity to that does not actually share many real life affinities, recognizing the discontinuity between online and offline identity. Online identity also allows for the creation of a new kind of self (Hongladarom, 2011). This further evidences the divide between online and offline identities, as online they are a more perfect version of oneself that one has constructed. Zhao et al (2008) also notes the importance of how online identities differ in not containing our “true selves” or our “real selves” but instead contains our “hoped for selves”. These “hoped for selves” are not able to created offline, and are often who people wish they could be. The following article explores a real life experience with this divide in identity, and the creation of a seemingly perfect life on Facebook http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dani-shapiro/the-truth-about-my-perfect-life_b_4413101.html. Therefore, there is an obvious disparity between online and offline identity as the online identity provides opportunities to create a self that face-to-face contact does not, and allows one to create what they wish their life looked like, a more perfect version.

Desire for Social Gratification:

            Desire for social gratification is a driving force in many people’s presentation of their online selves. (Zhang, Tang & Leung, 2011) This alters the way people present themselves. Dijck (2013) claims, “young adults especially shape their online identities to gain popularity and hopefully reach a level of comfortable connectedness”. Therefore, social payoffs play a large role in influencing what information one decides to selectively promote on their profile. These profiles become a tool for shaping one’s identities into what will receive the most positive response from others, and are controlled and manipulated to specifically do so. Therefore, people are modifying their self-presentation for social acceptance (Dijck, 2013).

            Additionally, Zhang et al (2011) argues, “we are what we post”. One chooses what information to share and associates oneself with that image in order to gain social gratification. Sun, and Wu (2012) also see this ability to modify one’s online self-presentation as a tool to gain social gratification. Getting “likes” or positive comments on pictures or posts is the most immediate form of this social gratification, and posts that do not receive them can be removed (Sun & Wu, 2012). This manipulation of one’s image for social gratification leads to a discrepancy between one’s online and offline persona as the online self is selectively tailored to others reactions in a way real life cannot be, and creates an idealized version of the self that one wishes they could be. 

Conclusions and Future Directions:

Ultimately, we are not who we present ourselves to be online. Despite one’s profile on Facebook claiming to be a representation of one’s identity online or their cyber selves, these profiles are not an accurate depiction of who they truly are. Through the research I have presented it is fair to conclude that one’s online identity instead relies on self-perfectionism, differs from offline identity and is based in receiving social gratification. Social perfectionism is easily succumbed to as people strive to present themselves in they way they think others will find most attractive, which contributes to the creation of a “prefect life”. Additionally, the ability to alter and selectively choose what information and pictures to present while omitting others is not a capability that is possible for face-to-face interactions. This furthers the idea that what is online is not a true representation of our true selves. Instead it is who one wishes they could be. Finally, much of one’s online identity on Facebook is built almost entirely around the desire for social gratification, which further contributes to presenting an online identity tailored to this desire and a identity differs from that offline. Altogether one’s online identity is a more perfect version of what they wish their life looked like, and want others to believe they live. This created “perfect life” is even joked about in this photo, http://www.rottenecards.com/card/38021/our-lives-may-seem-perfect-on.

It is very difficult not to fall prey to it this type of online presentation; therefore it is important to be aware of it. One peek at Facebook and you glimpse picture of a friend looking beautiful at a fun event, and you want your life to look just as appealing. The lives we create online through the photos, posts, information and status that we consciously and thoughtfully chose to display is a picture of the lives we wish we had. This is important to recognize as it is easy to get caught up in the image of it all and lose touch with who we truly are. Often times in reality no one’s life looks quite as good as it’s portrayal online. Therefore, this creation of an idealized version of oneself and life is an important phenomenon to recognize and further explore. This also opens the door to explore a deeper interpretation as to why people are aspiring to achieve a seemingly perfect online presence, and the consequences it may have for future research.