Joshua Ng

Facebook Users' Construction of Self Representation

Methods: Data was gathered through online surveys, semi-structured interview, and a semi-structured focus group. These methods were test piloted through personal acquaintances. Data from the pilots were used to modify the methods to provide questions that would allow for interviews and the focus group to provide in-depth answers and the surveys to provide further contextual data.

Research Question: What are the rules, criteria, and methods Facebook users employ to construct their identity on their Facebook profiles?

My research identified the most used method of the construction of identity, as through profile pictures and photos of themselves, and how users individually determined what to display on their profiles.

Hypothesis:

Each individual has a specific image of how others have already perceived them and use that perceived perception on how they craft the images of themselves shown on Facebook.

The research data indicated that perception of others only played a minor role in how Facebook users constructed their identity and instead indicated that narcissism and gender roles were major factors in determining their presentation of identity on their profiles.

Summary: Analysis of the research data indicates that contrary to the hypothesis that self perception based on others' expectations did not play a comparable role in construction of identity on Facebook user's profiles in contrast to narcissism and gender roles and norms. In this research the major avenue of construction of identity was through photos and primarily through profile pictures. Narcissism was exemplified in users' selective bias towards photos that appealed to their individual sense of favored attributes. Data also indicated that gender norms was a root factor for different criteria between genders.