“Windows have become a powerful metaphor for thinking about the self as a multiple, distributed system” (Sherry Turkle). Discuss and evaluate the way that identity is mediated in online environments, for example, social network sites and/or games/virtual worlds.

Abstract: This paper examines identity and different approaches to looking at it.  Although windows as a metaphor to thinking about the multi-faceted self is new, the need to explore and create identities is far from new.  The online world merely allows one the freedom to experiment with identity without social consequences.  The internet does not create new identities, the internet allows us to explore our own identity without fear of social recourse. ______________________________________________________________________

Before evaluating how identity is mediated in an online environment, it is important to understand what it means for an identity to be mediated.  By itself, the act of being mediated suggests a degree of reconciliation, or an effecting of resolution between parties.  Reconciliation often involves negotiation of harmonious agreements or at least compatible arrangements.  Framed within the context of  identity, an assumption must be made that identity has conflict.

For the purposes of this paper, identity will be defined as the set of characteristics, personality traits, and/or idiosyncrasies that, uniquely combined, a person recognizes as his or her individualized personality. Identity is forged by the combination of traits over a period of time that allows one to be identified as an individual, thus set apart from others.  This paper seeks to look at why an identity may be in conflict within itself and how social networks and virtual worlds either beget or discourage resolution.

Conflicting theories behind identity

Defining identity is not a simple procedure.  Opposite spectrums on the debate state that either a person has one identity and all identities resulting from this person’s online activities are merely extensions of that original identity or that each iteration of one’s identity is an entity in and of itself.

Pirandello in Six Characters in Search of an Author argues the latter.  He believes each new context requires a separate and completely different person; each new context is responsible for creating a different person/identity.[1] Although there are many arguments in support of this theory, the world is situated such that individuals must make choices, choices which help to define who one is.  A new context may call for different choices, but these choices still are the result of the judgment of one person, arguably with only one main identity.  It will be under this supposition that this paper proceeds.

An identity as a Subjective Created Narrative

“The artist is the only one who knows that the world is a subjective creation, that there is a choice to be made, a selection of elements”[2] Anais Nin

The ability to communicate comes along with choices.  Though this paper does not have time to debate how one’s choices are guided by inherent personality traits or swayed by environmental factors (such as being physically handicapped), choices are still made.  Psychology does allow for certain behavioral predictions to be made with relative degrees of success; however actual reactions and the nuances within a reaction and accompanying behavior cannot be measured or predicted as easily and thus contribute to a unique identity.  There comes a point in time when one must recognize and take accountability for these behaviors and the nuances within them.  Individuals, based on a combination of personality and life factors, each deal with the hand of cards they’ve been dealt differently.  It is this set of behaviors, or how one plays their “poker face” that create identity for the purposes of this paper; in this sense identity is largely a choice.

As mentioned previously, there is a debate surrounding those with physical impairments and their ability to truly create an identity that exists uninhibited by such handicaps.  This demographic is important, however I will be focusing on the general population whose impairments are more likely that of self-consciousness or self-esteem nature (i.e. height, weight, self-perception of physical appearance etc.)   As one develops from a child into an adult, he or she begins to control certain urges or kindle certain passions.  One becomes responsible for his or her actions and largely for the identity he or she creates; one begins to construct his or her own identity.

” The imagining of readers or an audience is crucial in the creation of an identity.  At the same time, though, as we have seen, the blog provides a space for authoring social identities.  To be precise, the blog format allows for identity to be produced in a variety of different ways.  Blogger profiles, and template choice or modification, as well as the style and content of postings all provide these social affordances. In addition to this, many bloggers use the sidebar to provide additional information which helps to locate them in specific social networks.”[3]

Regardless of whether created identities are entirely separate identities or just extensions of ourselves, the fact remains that each individual is the creator of his or her identity.  We are who we choose to be.  We present or project what we desire to be perceived as and people interpret or read our identity through their own paradigms; whether our desired perception is manifested as intended is at the mercy of others’ decoding of our choices.  Identities cannot be entirely controlled.  And new identities cannot exist entirely separate from the original identity; akin to a con-artist creating new identities for himself which can’t operate without the individual’s original identity, as his choices dictate what the created identity does.

Identity in Conflict

Identities, in the sense that they are comprised of choices, are subjective creations and subject to change.

“The existential question of self identity is bound up with the fragile nature of the biography which the individual ‘supplies’ about herself. A person’s identity is not to be found in behaviour, nor – important though this is – in the reactions of others, but in the capacity to keep a particular narrative going. The individual’s biography, if she is to maintain regular interaction with others in the day-to-day world, cannot be wholly fictive. It must continually integrate events which occur in the external world, and sort them into the ongoing ‘story’ about the self. “[4]

Identities are fluid, subjective creations.  And one’s identity only becomes one’s identity when carried out over a course of time.

Though seemingly hard to believe, an example of this theory would be if a girl went from being a tomboy, to being goth, to being punk, to being prissy, to being butch and then back to prissy.  This girl put forward a large range of identities.  Were they all separate?  Yes and no.  If we look at identity as a narrative her identity changed but the commonality would be it was all still her, her choices, and there is probably a psychological commonality of a woman desperately seeking purpose or acceptance rather than 6 separate and different identities.

Turkle uses windows as a metaphor for describing the complexities of having multiple identities.  However, before going further, it is important to note that despite Turkle’s research on windows and multiple identities, the idea of taking on a new self is not new. In fact the idea is far from new.  As long as time has been recorded there have been actors, carnivals, jesters, cross-dressers etc.[5] So, although the use of windows as a metaphor is extremely relevant in a computer culture, it merely expresses an age old desire in terms which are more easily understood.

Identity constrained

“Here the idea that identity is produced through action and performance becomes important.”[6]

What happens if a person constructs his or her social identity to conform to social norms and expectations but did so consciously and begrudgingly?  How does this person ever express the identity that he or she is purposefully suppressing?  Before the internet one could turn to acting, role-playing, story-telling, self-expression in art, and so on.  Humans have always needed outlets to experiment with their identities.  By reading books, becoming caught up in retelling a story, watching a movie, or acting, one is allowed to imagine how his or her identity would behave if not strenuously tied to tradition and stability.

Identity is shaped by social and cultural norms.  In order to step outside of these norms and discover how one’s identity would act within a different context, a different context must be located.  This contextual location is where the internet plays an important role.  The networks and resources available online play a crucial role in allowing one to choose what context he or she would like to explore his or her identity.

It can be argued that one does not create new identities but is merely expressing extensions of a core identity he or she already possesses within alternate worlds.  A similar and interesting paradox, one worth considering, is that of alcohol.  Consuming a specific amount of alcohol gives one the lowered inhibitions to act outside of his or her pre-established identity.  Many say true colors fly when intoxicated.  But which one is the real identity?  Both.  The relation of alcohol’s affect to identities online may not be readily evident, but the similarities are many.  Alcohol is a means through which one’s personality is altered; and a chat room effects the same role but without the chemical changes, and their obvious, potentially dangerous effects.  The chat room identity of a person may take a different shape but it is still a part of a whole person, whose identity is fluid, based on time and controlled by local social mores.

It becomes at this point important to acknowledge audiences and perceived audiences.  Our real world identities are constrained by how our actions are perceived.  Borrowing Gee’s terms for describing identity to establish that virtual identities include the identities we create online, real-life identities are exactly what they say they are, and projected identities are the end result of using a real-life identity to construct a virtual identity.[7]

To use this in a contextual example, “Daisy” is my blogging identity.  I created it.  She is no different than me; that is to say I didn’t intend her to be an alternate me.  Daisy is the virtual identity that my real-life identity, Kerilynn, created.  My real-life identity intended to create my virtual identity to be as similar as possible.  However the projected identity of Daisy may be far from what I intended.  As people have to make sense of the limited information they receive about Daisy, they use their own personal filters to make sense of that which Daisy says and does.  The online identity of Daisy is a combination of all three identities (virtual, real life and projected.)

Due to the nature of real world scenarios, interactions with people and the human need for consistency, it would be difficult to maintain multiple, individuated narratives or identities.  This assertion of difficulty is not to say that operating various differentiated identities is impossible, but carrying out two lives with distinctly different identities is not easy, or at least not easy in the real world because of our audiences.  Once a narrative is established, it may be difficult for others to allow this narrative to change because it is through the understanding of another’s narrative that actions are perceived.  When one’s narrative changes, others are forced to reevaluate their established perceptions of that narrative; being that people tend to enjoy the status quo, difficulties arise from switching narratives within social contexts.

Conflict arises when one takes his or her identity into a foreign situation and chooses to act contrary to his or her pre-established narrative.  Are internal identities at war?  Or do new contexts allow us to uncover the many layers of our identity onion?

Online Arena for Identity Exploration

As long as there have been civilizations, there have been actors.  Actors, for the sake of their art, set aside their own personal identities for the time being and step into others’.  Arguably said actors are still constrained to the core behaviors of their subconscious psyche and identity, though for the sake of this paper we will not delve that deep.  Online worlds allow one to “act” or express his or her identity with a cloak of anonymity; one is free from everyday, real world social restraints.

Actors strip off their real-life identities and step into the role of other individuals.  The internet allows for one to be a “virtual actor” and to have non-scripted, communication as a new identity.  It is easy to believe that the internet created a forum for role-playing which has become tremendously popular because of its uniqueness and first-of-a-kind-nature that links many individuals who are all masquerading behind anonymous facades. However, it is the contention of this paper that it is nearly as likely that avatars, online social networks, and multi-player games have become immensely popular because the need or desire for such an outlet already existed.  People already longed for an outlet, a way to act, without being tied to etiquette rules or stated and unstated social mores.  Avatars and windows for identity became popular because humans want to explore and challenge identity.[8]

Avatars and online worlds give people the option to step outside what is expected, see the other side where the proverbial grass is perceived to be greener, and not be limited by circumstances or consequences.  Online worlds provide us, and by extension our secondary identities, forums for expression of aggression without inflicting personal real world harm, exhibiting lust without the resulting consequence of separation or divorce, as well as experiencing other not-so-accepted traits of human nature, most likely without their respective repercussions.  Online identities provide a way for the dark sides of our identities to have play time to prevent a passive-aggressive mishap that could damage our everyday lives.

Identity – the hot topic of digital culture

So why has identity become a hot topic?  It has been suggested that the aforementioned new forms of communicating require additional exploration on the part of participants in order to work out how the other person’s “true” identity functions behind the avatar.  Email and digital communication provide for wider range of contact; this increased contact in turn creates new contexts for identity performance. Globalization requires new forms of socialization and social networks.[9] again providing the setting in which new contexts for identities must be created and explored.  Without real world cues, we must rely more heavily on our interpretations of identities of our online peers.  Consequently, we are consciously thinking, and unconsciously thinking, more about identity.[10]

Regardless of the reasons, identities and ideas about identities are changing as we find new ways to use our identity and establish new avenues in which implied social restraints can be broken.

In the context of personal psychology, it should be noted that as we are required to use more internal resources to understand the party with whom we are communicating, we find we learn about ourselves and our personal preferences and biases through projection.  We can only understand the world through our own perceptions and filters; and when our partner in communication cannot give us the same amount of cues they could in person-to-person contact—or do not exhibit cues which coincide with our own–we are forced to fill in the gaps.  A self-reflective person could do a bit of study in this regard.

Conclusion – Identities Mediated

If an identity at conflict is merely composed of conflicting sides of an identity fighting to be expressed and thus seen, the online world provides compromise, resolution, the ability to be all that one wants, with the freedom to choose the context.  If one wishes to explore the professional side of his or her identity, sites like Linked In provide a proven forum.

Sites such as Facebook allow spaces for those who do not wish to venture far from their pre-established narrative identities.   Facebook holds many of the same social mores and restraints found in real life.  Facebook identities are expected to be similar to real world identities. For this reason, Facebook demands users input a first and last name, and monitor requests for name changes. Furthermore, Facebook’s profiles contain options to input identifiers such as hometown, religious affiliation, and personal interests such as music and movies. In the past, more stringent guidelines included the requirement of a university-linked or work domain-linked email address, until the site welcomed all-comers in an attempt to usurp MySpace’s hold on the social networking phenomenon.

Online gaming or places such as Second Life, where avatars can be created that exist in a virtual world parallel to our own, give one more freedom to explore his or her identity within different contexts.  However, the potential for choices to be made regarding how to present oneself is still there.  And a great deal can be said about the choices one makes and how one chooses to represent him or herself

“As the self, as a serious reality, is laid to rest and the self is constructed and re-constructed in multiple contexts, one enters finally the stage of the relational self. One’s sense of individual autonomy gives way to a reality of immersed interdependence, in which it is relationships that constructs the self.”[11]

Identities are fluid and narrative.  The online world merely allows one new contexts and forums in which to express his or her identity.  This incidence of alternate reality is not a new phenomenon, just one that has come into the public eye as the internet has exploded and provided for new contexts to emerge.

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[1] Pirandello, L. ([1921] 1995) Six Characters in Search of an Author. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

[2] Nin, Anais, Quote Daddy http://www.quotesdaddy.com/quote/1190735/anais-nin/the-artist-is-the-only-one-who-knows-that-the-world

[3] Merchant, Guy, “Identity, Social Networks, and Online Communication,” E-Learning, Vol 3 #2 [2006]

[4] Giddens, A. (1991) Modernity and Self Identity: self and society in the late modern age. Cambridge: Polity Press. p54

[5] Merchant, Guy, “Identity, Social Networks, and Online Communication,” E-Learning, Vol 3 #2 [2006]

[6] ibid.

[7] Gee, J.P. (2003) What Videogames Have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Gee, J.P. (2004) Situated Language and Learning: a critique of traditional schooling. London: Routledge.

[8] Turkle, S. (1995) Life on the Screen: identity in the age of the Internet. New York: Simon & Schuster.

[9] Giddens, A. (1991) Modernity and Self Identity: self and society in the late modern age. Cambridge: Polity Press

[10] Merchant, Guy, “Identity, Social Networks, and Online Communication,” E-Learning, Vol 3 #2 [2006]

[11] Gergen as cited in Botha, Dawn, The Alcoholic Family: Pastoral Conversations with Adult Children, Unraveling the Web of Identity [South Africa: University of South Africa, 2005] http://etd.unisa.ac.za/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-05292006-140200/unrestricted/dissertation.pdf

Part One:

How does one determine the impact and effect his or her culture and community has upon his or her daily life?  To give an extreme example, it could be quite a culture shock for a Mormon from Salt Lake City, USA to move to Sydney, Australia.  Salt Lake is known for having around 50% of its residents living (or at least professing to believe in) a no drugs, no alcohol, no coffee, no pornography and no smoking lifestyle.  If a Salt Lake resident, who is used to being in the majority, moves to Sydney, this resident will quickly learn he or she is now an extreme minority.  (population statistics sourced from lds.org and summarized by Religious Tolerance.)

Community and culture play a huge role in the way we see and define the world and our surroundings.  It helps us assess meaning and value.  It contributes to our filters and our level of comfort.  How we define our relationship with our community and culture (whether we accept or reject it) contributes to our personal identity.  Some sociologists argue that many of our behaviors are more a result of culture than instinct. (Culture, UK Sociology.org.)

In a new world full of online communities, is interesting to consider how digital cultures could impact our daily lives and contribute to the formation of our identity.  How much of our identity is wrapped up in digital cultures and online communities?

Part Two:

In the last part we considered (or rather I suggested we consider) how online communities play into our sense of identity and self.  Princess Pointful, once (and probably still) a well known blogger who received several blog awards (by 20sb) and has been featured in print blogs, is a great case of how an online identity can significantly impact a “physical” identity.  Back in May she announced she was going to take a break from blogging and then followed up with comments discussing how different her life was now that she wasn’t blogging as regularly.  At one point she asked her readers if she should give up or continue and quite literally discussed that her ego has been deflated a bit (though it appears she has taken that post down) and I wondered if you have to ask the question, well … maybe that’s your answer??

The online world has meaning.  It contributes to our sense of worth, connection, self esteem, etc.   And like the non-digital world, when we use connections with others as our point of personal validation we open ourselves to the possibility of losing it all with one false rumor, one bad post, or one bad look.  Having a balanced life between online and social engagements is one way to prevent loss of self worth due to decreased online activity.  Though with that said, the online community offers an opportunity for one to find very specific and less common niches, groups or cliques which could offer one a better chance at finding balance between and acceptance of one’s alter egos and/or identities.  There are no geographical boundaries in an online network preventing one from maintaining contact to the group one feels he or she belongs.

Part Three:

Part 3

An interesting article, “Identity, Social Networking and Online Communication” by Guy Merchant raises the questions, “how many identities do I have online?”  I asked myself this question and came up with two answers.  Australiandaisy and Kerilynn.  Both identities are owned/created by me however I do attempt to keep them fairly separated. Both identities represent the same person, yet they are far from identical.

Having met a few blog followers outside of the digital sphere, I was happy to learn that my readers were not surprised by my physical identity, stating it fit my blogging identity closely.  As a blogger who takes pride in being genuine, this was great news for me.  Though it should be acknowledged that many people want and choose their online identities to be different than how they perceive their physical identities to be.  So which identity is the real them?

The article explores whether these alternate digital identities are the manifestation of the growth in popularity of online communities or if they are merely a glimmer of what is beneath our surface.  In other words, has the digital world simply exposed or helped to expose our alternate core identities?  Or is it the online community that instigates the development of differing identities?

Psychology provides psychologists, and even forensic profilers, the ability to predict with a reasonable amount of accuracy the habits and patterns of any alter-egos a patient and/or suspect may have.  If science is able to investigate these forms of behavior, can science also predict how we will represent ourselves online?  How much do the choices we make with regard to our alternate identities say about us?  How much control do we really have over our digital identity if it springs from our core identity or is a representation of the subconscious psychology behind our physical identity?

A mind bender which could be argued both ways!  @thisisScoman from A Name in Your Recollection says his main form of interaction is online.  His identity and online involvement help to define his overall identity.   Is it the digital world that exposes his identity? Or the physical world?  He admits he is a different person within both realms.

Does a core essential identity preclude the digital world?  Or is it possible that an online identity could be the core of one’s identity and the non-digital social world is the alternate identity?  Is it actually possible to distinguish between identities?

The article linked to above suggests that we not focus on the argument of new identities versus unseen identities and instead look at how online communities offer the ability to narrate or create a self identity and how the process of forging that identity outside of the digital world is important.

A question I would ask is: how has your personal online identity been constructed over time?  I can tell you that mine started out as Top 10 mySpace girl of Utah (Yes I was a promo girl for mySpace in Utah) and it eventually moved to AustralianDaisy and is now moving into Daisy/Kerilynn.  My mySpace identity was fun and I played up the role of a promo girl.  As I began to understand the complexities and reach of information posted online, I gradually phased out that side of my online identity and began a Facebook account where no link to mySpace or promo girls were included.  My Facebook identity was more professional and very different than my mySpace identity, however both were reflections of the real me.

Part 4

While investigating online identities, I discovered the following youTube videos which (when watched simultaneously or one after the other) demonstrate how avatars are used to help create a new identity for oneself.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urNyg1ftMIU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCgHS0TwIA8[/youtube]

In the comment section of the original Part 3 post, ScoMan made a good point about how our identities change according to context.  Dave philosophized that our true identity is found somewhere between our dreams (identities we wish we could try out – or do try out in the online world) and our fears (the identity we present to the actual world – held back by fear or societal pressure.)  Though we are not going to search out one definition for a true or core identity in this piece, we quickly consider avatars and how they play a role in our online communities, development and network.

Dr. Suler from Self Help Magazine explains,

“The basic assumption of a psychotherapy using avatars is that all of the personae created in the virtual scenario are the various manifestations of the person’s psyche.”

We choose the clothes we want to wear and how we present ourselves. It says something about us. How is choosing how we present ourselves online any different?  And when we seek to hide behind the cloak of anonymity that avatars provide, are we revealing truths about our inner psyche in the process?  If this is the case, can we ever use an online world to truly experience an alternate identity?  Can we ever truly escape from our selves?

Please consider those questions as you watch the next relevant video about online identities.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge2FHDf_L78[/youtube]

Part 5

Our world is becoming more and more digital every day. We move to online communities more and more every day. Our selves, our identities, and our culture are all being impacted by this change. And though our identities, cultures and selves always changing and growing, it’s important to recognize the significance of online avatars/identities and how this increase in control over image may affect our core definitions.

Quotes on self-image:

1“The ”self-image” is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self image and you change the personality and the behavior.” 2“Our self image, strongly held, essentially determines what we become”

Maxwell Maltz quotes (US plastic surgeon, motivational author, and creator of the Psycho-Cybernetics, 1927-2003)

3“If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?”

Chuck Palahniuk quotes (American freelance Journalist, Satirist and Novelist. b.1961)

Do online communities and the identities we construct for them change us?  Of course they do; however, it is worth investigating or considering if these identities are new and different, if we become entirely different people or if the online world simply allows for different angles of the same core identity to be seen.

Networks and identities change with time. As I meet and become connected with more people, my network grows. As my connections meet and become connected with more people, my network grows. As my identity is tried and tested with time, it evolves and takes stronger shape. I would argue that our identites are all layers of the same onion.  Each one may be different, some bigger or stronger in flavor, but there is only one identity.  We may take on new directions and new flavors, but the network around us and our identity (regardless of how many identities we choose to have) all overlap with each other. We can’t go backward – only forward.