Module # 8 The Digital Self

GE SocSci 1- Understanding the Self

Summer 2019-2020

Module # 8 The Digital Self

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

(1) explore the digital aspect of self and identity
(2) demonstrate critical, reflective thought in integrating the digital self and
identity
(3) identify the different forces and institutions that impact the development of
the digital self
(4) examine one’s self against the different aspects of self, discussed in class
(5) be able to practice online etiquette and boundaries when it comes to online
interactions

1. I, Me, Myself and My User ID Online Identity

• Social media is defined as the websites and applications that make it easier
to create and share information, ideas, and interests. It also allows people
to create other forms of self-expression via virtual communities and
networks.
• Digital Literacy- It is defined as those capabilities possessed by individuals
who are living, learning and working in a digital society.
• Digital self/ Digital Identity (DI)—a mask that we put on to engage the
technological world. It refers to anything that describes a persona an
individual presents across all the digital spaces that he/she is represented
in.
• Symbolic markers- this help express one’s identity to others and helps
them make sense of it themselves.
• Internet/ Online disembodiment- refers to the identity, soul or spirit
separate from physical body. Through the use of social media, people may
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Module # 8 The Digital Self
GE SocSci 1- Understanding the Self
Summer 2019-2020

act differently since interaction in social media do not happen face-to-face

and there is no physical presence required.
• According to Turkle (1995) on the internet, people can be whoever they
want to be. They can completely redefine themselves if they want. People
don’t look at bodies or hear the access for them to make assumptions. All
they see are the words. What goes online stays online. They are permanent
digital footprints.
• User ID lets a person associate a persistent ID for a single user with that
user’s engagement data from one or more sessions initiated from one or
more devices.
• Username- also known as the login name, this is a unique sequence of
characters used to identify a user and allow access to a computer system,
computer network or online account.
• Dissociative Imagination- How people act online is not how people act in
the real world.
• Solipsistic Introjection- a (virtual) person tends to assign traits to those
individuals whom they meet online. They assign what the person looks or
sounds like in their head which is an imaginary interaction with the
introjected character.
• Dissociative Anonymity- People don’t have to own (be responsible) to their
own behavior by acknowledging it within the full context of who “they”
really are.

2. Selective Self-presentation and Impression Management

• Self-presentation – is a range of strategies that people adopt to shape what

others think of them.
• Types of Self-presentation
1. Self-promotion- the person who is using self-promotion is trying to
show that he/she is competent effective or a winner.
2. Ingratiation- the person is using ingratiation in presenting oneself to
others has a desire to be likable. They expect affection
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Module # 8 The Digital Self
GE SocSci 1- Understanding the Self
Summer 2019-2020

3. Exemplification- the person who is using exemplification has the

intention to achieve worth from others. He/she expects others to feel
guilty by their actions.
4. Intimidation- the person who is using intimidation tries to appear
dangerous or ruthless. He/she expects others to be afraid of them.
5. Supplication- the person using supplication would like to appear
helpless (handicapped or unfortunate). He/she aims to achieve
nurturance from others.
• Self-enhancement refers to the tendency to think oneself in a favorable light.
o It includes efforts to boost one’s physical appearance.
o Efforts to increase their appeal to others
o Includes using ‘props’ to enhance their appeal to the whole world
• Impression Management- it is a goal directed conscious or unconscious
attempt to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object
or event by regulating and controlling information in social interaction. It is
a deliberate attempt to make favorable impression on how to perceive
others and evaluate others on the basis of their online presence.
o Types of Impression Management
▪ Constructive—helps in the formation of self -identity
▪ Strategic- helps in the attainment of some interpersonal goal

3. Impact of Online Interactions on the Self

• Positive Effects of Online Interactions

o It helps strengthen relationships among teens. Every People have
friends who they have not seen since school. They don't have to
worry about losing touch, because social media has it covered.
o As a teenager it's also very important to understand what's going on
around us rather than just knowing what's going with friends.
According to the article "What Facebook and Twitter Mean for
News." 70% of teens receive most of the news stories they read or
watch via Facebook or Twitter.
o We can study on Social sites and get merit certificates online.
o We can ask for queries, share knowledge and do our modern jobs
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Module # 8 The Digital Self
GE SocSci 1- Understanding the Self
Summer 2019-2020

• Negative Effects of Online Interactions

o Today teens don’t know how to disconnect. Social media has allowed
teens to take their life online.
o A False sense of connection. Social media sites can make it more
difficult for us to distinguish between the meaningful relationships
we foster in the real world and the numerous casual relationships
formed through social media
o Cybercrimes. The immediacy provided by social media is available to
predators as well as friends.
o Low grades
• “The development of the person’s social aspects can be greatly influenced
by technology due to an insufficient amount of real-life social encounters” –
Diaz, Evans and Gallagher (2014)
• Based on the analysis of teenagers’ online experience showed that “others”
on the internet constitute a distinctive “looking glasses” that produces a
“digital self” that differs from the self formed offline. While online a person’s
status in the face-to face world may not be known to others and may not
have that much of an impact.
• Abuse of technology always lead to negative consequences. Even if there are
cases when social media negatively impacts users, it would be unfair if only
the technology would be blamed.
• Online Disinhibition Effect- When people adopt fake identities, they are
likely to engage in behaviors that they would not do in real life interactions.
2 categories of online disinhibition:
o Benign disinhibition. It occurs when people tend to self-disclose
more on the internet than they would in real life or go out of their
way to help someone or show kindness.
o Toxic disinhibition. People take part of this when they use rude
language, bully or threaten others on online platforms, and go to
websites with contents of violence, crime, and pornography.
▪ Cyberbullying- it is when a child or teen is tormented,
threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise
targeted by another child teen using the Internet, interactive

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Module # 8 The Digital Self
GE SocSci 1- Understanding the Self
Summer 2019-2020

or digital technologies or cell phones (It has to be between

minors.)
▪ Cyber harassment- Harassment through online means such as
through, abusive emails/ IMs, Computer attacks, viruses,
hacking, identity theft, disclosure of private facts or photos,
use/misuse of victim’s content (more general—cyberbullying
falls under cyber harassment and usually instigated by an adult
or between two adults)

4. Boundaries of the Self-Online

• Personal Boundaries are the set of guidelines, rules or limits that a person
creates to identify reasonable, safe and permissible ways for people to
behave towards them and how they respond in case someone breaks these
rules or overstep the limits
• Asynchronicity- It allows a person to think more carefully about what
he/she would like to say before posting which could help when someone
has trouble with face to face interactions
• Private vs Public. In many online environment people cannot see others.
Nobody can judge the statements and images because of the cloak of
invisibility.
o In public mode, the post will be treated as open book. Because of
security, many online users are using the private mode.
o Invisibility also gauge to misinterpret oneself. A man may represent
himself as a woman and vice versa.
• Individual/Personal Online Identity vs Social Identity.
o Social Identity- is usually based on group affiliation. Like in social
media many people identify themselves as member of a certain
group so that it will be easy for them to communicate their concerns
or issues.
o There is a paradigm shift when it comes to identity, before in the
modern era (enlightenment through 20th century, identity is
considered fixed, stable and unitary but in the post-modern era

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Module # 8 The Digital Self
GE SocSci 1- Understanding the Self
Summer 2019-2020

(now), identity is considered as fluid, multiple and socially

constructed
o Identity Theory (Stryker, 1980) - People generally have role
identities. These are the characters and roles an individual creates as
a member of a particular social group. Following this definition, “self”
is composed of identities ranked by importance. The greater the
commitment of an individual to a particular identity, the greater the
importance of this identity.
o In an online environment, one’s role identity is vitally important in
order for him/her to project himself/herself in the said environment.
Amidst the technological tools and channels surrounding individuals
and online activities that people engage in, one’s online identity
enables him/her to participate in a virtual society.
o However, participation in virtual environments may entail changes
that may affect a person’s sense of self. In some cases, people present
themselves differently in online interactions as compared to the face-
to-face interactions they engage in.
• Gender and Sexuality Online.
o Gender intensification hypothesis states that psychological and
behavioral differences between boys and girls become greater during
early adolescence because of increased socialization pressure to
conform to masculine and feminine gender roles (Santrock, 2014)
• Managing Responsible Online Behavior. How can one behave responsibly
online? The following are some suggestions:
1. Do not post or send anything that will embarrass you.
2. Avoid posting statements when experiencing strong emotions.
3. Do not hang out with the “wrong crowd” online.
4. Do not hang out with the “wrong crowd” offline.
5. Be careful with oversharing, especially confidential information that
may be used irresponsibly.
6. Respect other people in the online community.

Prepared by: Nissin Agutaya

Email: [email protected]
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Module # 8 The Digital Self
GE SocSci 1- Understanding the Self
Summer 2019-2020

References:
Internet Law Center. (02:43:53 UTC). Cyber Harassment [Technology].

https://www.slideshare.net/internetlawcenter/cyber-harassment-2394029

Lesson 6: Digital Self. (n.d.). Prezi.Com. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from

https://prezi.com/p/5nophjim8vxr/lesson-6-digital-self/

Manish Kumar. (10:45:50 UTC). EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON US [Social Media].

https://www.slideshare.net/manishdv8/effect-of-social-media-on-us

Section 2: The Socio-Digital Self. (2019, April 16). UNDERSTANDING THE SELF (GED101)

DIGITAL PORTFOLIO. https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-2-the-socio-

digital-self/

shannonmf. (09:23:24 UTC). Cyber bullying powerpoint [Career].

https://www.slideshare.net/shannonmf/cyber-bullying-powerpoint-8412975

Understanding and Creating Your Digital Self. (n.d.). Psychology Today. Retrieved June 13,

2020, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-digital-

self/201008/understanding-and-creating-your-digital-self

Yash Vardhan Singh. (09:32:05 UTC). Impression management [Education].

https://www.slideshare.net/yash231192/impression-management-25885236

Prepared by: Nissin Agutaya

Email: [email protected]
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