Screen Identity

 Screen Identity

 Identity is defined to be many thoughts and resources combined to create a presentation of expression, according to Bucholtz and Hall. This means that we don’t have one specific identity, but identities, which change over time. For some, this may be fairly static and stay consist, for others this is more fluid, and they frequently actively reconstruct who they are. However, having an online presence means that identity can easily be altered, shared, or hidden by the user who has the ultimate control of what they choose to post. 

So, do you have an online replica of yourself - or someone not even remotely related?

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In 1987, Higgins presented the three ‘self-domains’.

-          The actual self (real)

-          The ideal self (what you/others want)

-          The ought self (what you believe you/others should be)

Instagram is a good example of being abled to morph domains to create your online identity by using features such as the biography, stories and choosing what parts of your life to share.

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It can be argued that majority of people use a combination of the three domains to create an identity they believe will be most well received. For example, basing their persona on themselves, with some added ideals of their own, but also subtle changes of the ought (like a political view or a mannerism) to help fit with society. This would mean the online identity differs from the real life, even though they are similar.

However, influencers may alter domains so that the ideal and ought self outweigh the actual. Meaning that, their identity is morphed into what is deemed successful and well received by their target audience to make the most money/get more followers.  Adele  is a good example of this. 

   Source: Instagram

Her Instagram is deemed somewhat 'professional' by society and can often be mistaken for 'real life' when in actual fact, Adele does not look/do these things 24/7. The biography is also simple, only containing name and link to job websites, however this may also be for safety and privacy reasons ad having a large following can also bring hate. Though, Adele's Instagram is mostly for show and advertisement purposes only.

Therefore, influencers may present a certain way that isn't realistic to them in order to get a 'reward', as Phil Reed suggests, which could be followers, money or collaborations - or conform to the (beauty) standards of social media.

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Political views may be left out (as with Adele) of the biography and instead a funny caption may be added in order to gain favour with the audience; Cooley’s looking-glass theory suggests the imagination of other’s judgment affects the resulting presentation, therefore affecting what influencers post in order to stay relevant. To remain neutral, political opinions are often not shared so they don't lose interaction from audiences who disagree.

Source: Facebook

Similarly, Adele's Facebook page uses high-quality photos and only uses posts and bio areas for promotional purposes. This constructs the idea that she is a class performer with professionalism and talent, because her page is aesthetic and non confrontational/exclusionary to any minority groups - making her page accessible to more people.

Source: Instagram

Target audience also adapts the presentation of artists. Adele sometimes posts 'real' images which have less make-up or show show struggle in some form in order to be relatable. This is closer to the 'actual self' and gains interaction because it is 'woke'. However, knowing the general society have an interest for realism in idols may prove that this is 'ought self' and a harvest for views and likes. Therefore, online display can be deemed to have motive, and not a reflection of life at all. Many studies, such as the one conducted by the BBC, show that body dysmorphia and insecurities about appearance, wealth and social status all shape who we say we are online. A survey of 227 women shared that girls tended to compare their bodies to what they see online - arguably, Adele uses the beauty standards to her advantage, showing full make up to appear professional and beautiful, but bare-face to be 'woke' and 'real'.

 It is highly likely influencers have separate personal accounts used for their 'real' lifestyles which aren't in the public eye. Many people in general society also do this, where they have a more mainstream open account with good pictures and socially acceptable images (the ought-self) and one which is reserved for family and friends (closer to the actual self) and contains more personal images.

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Some may argue that no online identity can truly be authentic because identity is always changing as a person gains new experience, interests and culture. This concludes that there is no possible way to encapsulate the entirety of reality and the rawness of human complexity behind a screen. Platforms are used to express the things we want, not necessarily the things we are.

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References:

Bucholtz, M. and Hall, K. (2005). Identity and interaction: a Sociocultural Linguistic Approach. Discourse Studies, 7(4-5), pp.585–614.

Cooley, C.H. and Robarts - University of Toronto (1902). Human nature and the social order. [online] Internet Archive. New York : C. Scribner’s sons. Available at: https://archive.org/details/humannaturesocia00cooluoft/humannaturesocia00cooluoft/page/n3/mode/2up [Accessed 27 Apr. 2024].

Fardouly, J. and Vartanian, L.R. (2015). Negative Comparisons about one’s appearance Mediate the relationship between Facebook Usage and body Image concerns. Body Image, [online] 12(1), pp.82–88. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.10.004.

Higgins, T. (1987). APA PsycNet. [online] psycnet.apa.org. Available at: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1987-34444-001 [Accessed 29 Apr. 2024].

Oakes, K. (2019). The Complicated Truth about Social Media and Body Image. [online] bbc.com. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190311-how-social-media-affects-body-image [Accessed 28 Apr. 2024].

Reed, P. (2021). Self-Presentation in the Digital World | Psychology Today. [online] www.psychologytoday.com. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/digital-world-real-world/202108/self-presentation-in-the-digital-world [Accessed 4 May 2024].

Zote, J. (2023). 7 Ways to Tap into Your True Target Audience. [online] Sprout Social. Available at: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/target-audience/ [Accessed 22 Apr. 2024].

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