Defining identities

A study carried out in 2008 by the Department of Psychology at Georgetown University found out that more and more young people are using social networking websites to “construct profiles and engage in activities that reflect identity markers.” More specifically they discovered that college students use Facebook 30 minutes a day to keep up with friends they knew before starting online, to take a break or to convey their identity. Concerning this last activity, the scholars emphasize that “students often posted media preferences – favourite books, music, and movies – as a way to express identity.” These preferences appeared more often than the more classic markers of identity (religion, school, work or political orientation). However, this identity construction may not always correspond to the person’s real identity. Several students acknowledged that social network websites offer the possibility to “present themselves how they want others to perceive them.” Finally, it is interesting to note that many Facebook users lurk (observe without being seen) passively rather than posting actively on their profile.

Source:
Pempek, Tiffany A., Yermolayeva, Yevdokiya A., Calvert, Sandra L., “College students’ social networking experiences on Facebook” in Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30, 2009, p. 227-238.

Lore Vandoorne