RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY

Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

SESSION NO.
6 / WEEK NO. 7

MODULE NO. 6: THE DIGITAL SELF

1. Meaning of Digital Self

2. Difference between Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants
3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Native Individuals
4. Meaning of Digital Identity
5. Meaning of Digital Footprint
a. Passive Digital Footprint
b. Active Digital Footprint
6. Meaning of Impression Management
a. Positive Aspects of Impression Management
b. Negative Aspects of Impression Management
7. Understanding the Implications of the Creation of Digital Self

Overview

This module explores the impact of technology on society. It focuses on how

technology use enables people to become digital citizens, how it sustains
relationships and establish collaborations with other people, and what kind of digital
identities are being shaped while outlining the responsible use of technology.

Study Guide

You are expected to:

1. Read and understand the entire module;
2. Read the attached additional reading links. Some of the items in the quiz came
from these reading materials;
3. Submit the file of the activity you created based on what you have learned in
this module;
4. Answer and passed the required score on the quiz provided after reading the
entire module and additional materials links. Please remember that quizzes
are online, and retakers are not allowed.
5. Do the activity on your own.

COURSE TITLE: Understanding the Self

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 RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Know and understand what is digital footprint,

2. Learn how to enhance your social media reputation by having a positive digital
footprint,
3. Share your social media experience, and
4. Discuss the effects of social media on your personal lives.

Pre-assessment

Let's check your familiarity with the different online websites and applications.

1.
__________

2.

__________

3.

__________

4.

__________

5.

__________
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RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY
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Topic Presentation

Have you ever asked your parents how they communicate with their loved
ones before? How did they manage to finish their studies just plainly using
textbooks? There are lots of differences that we can observe that had happened from
generation to generation, such as the enhancement of technology. In the previous
generations, the means of communication is through the use of letter writing and
telephone calls. We can say that great poetic individuals were born during this era.
As time goes by, the invention of pagers or beepers emerges to receive and display
alphanumeric or voice messages. In today's generation, the use of cellular phones
and different social media platforms keep people connected.

The advancement of modern technology affects our real self- concept or the
idea of who we are and our ideal self-concept or the idealized image that we have
developed based on what we have experienced and learned. But how does modern
technology affect our real and ideal self-concept? Let us examine this example.
Margarita posts to her different social media account everything that is happening to
her. What Margarita portrays in her social media account is her digital self. When we
say digital self, it is the persona you use when you are online. Digital self spans
everything from text messages to your fashion styles, your trips, your previous and
present job statuses, and many other significant and insignificant points in between.
According to Hill (2018), our digital self can become our vivid representation of our
wants, needs, motivations, and insecurities. There are elements of the digital self,
and these are the 1.) Your online behavior (e.g., the number of times you update
your status on Facebook), 2.) Your online voice (e.g., the conversations you do with
other people in your social media account), and 3.) Your online presentation (e.g.,
how you create a social media profile to present yourself).

Digital
natives
are
 individuals who
were born after the widespread adoption of
digital technology. These are individuals
who have grown up using technology such
as the Internet, computer, and mobile
devices. These individuals are in the
Millennial generation (born between 1981
and 1996), Generation Z (born between
1996 and 2020), and Generation Alpha (born between 2011 and 2025). Since the
rise of digital technology slowly begins in the millennial generation, we can say that
not all individuals included in this generation are digital natives. Some of the
characteristics in the era of digital natives are the following: 1.) Gen. Z individuals are
intuitive and participative learners, have a high capacity to do multi-tasking tasks,
speak tech, knows what they need to work on, and sees the world in less hierarchical
terms; and 2.) Gen. Alpha individuals are more immersed in technology, can learn in
visual and interactive teaching methods, and are more inclusive and aware of their
public image. Digital immigrants, on the other hand, are individuals who were born
before the widespread use of digital technology. Generally, these are individuals who

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RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

were born before the Millennial generation. Since a vast array of digital technology
arises, being included in the digital native era has its advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Digital Native Individuals

Advantages Disadvantages

1. They are more creative, 1. They are impatient.

multimedia-oriented. 2. They are egocentric.
2. They fear failure less. 3. They don’t want to be tied to a
3. They are more social. commitment.
4. They are more likely to be 4. They focus on the superficial.
actively involved. 5. They are overloaded with
5. They are expressive. information.
6. They have electronic 6. They view technology as a
friends. 7. They multi-task need.
more. 7. They feel a sense of
8. They have developed and share entitlement.
a common language. 8. They struggle with evaluating
9. They are more comfortable quality of information.
operating with different kinds of
inputs (visual, audio,
kinesthetic) rather than with
text-only.
10. They are more global.
11. They are risk takers.
12. They want to modify, create,
and produce.
13. They want to be flexible and
responsive to opportunity,
 14. They are striving to be
independent.

Whether an individual is a digital native or a digital immigrant, he can still

have a digital identity. A digital identity is the electronic equivalent of "real" identity,
and its features are associated with its bearer, in this case, electronic data
(VingrisTECH, 2019). There are two different ways to look at an individual's digital
identity. It can be thru online personas we create on social media that are often
comparable to the real-world characters that we play, compiled of our actions,
relationships, possessions, and accomplishments. It can also be our identities we
create for online services.
The creation of digital identity can leave traces behind online. It is called a
digital footprint. Comments on social media, apps used, and email records are part of
the online history that can be potentially be seen by other people or can be in a
tracking database. There are two types of digital footprints - the passive and the
active.

A passive digital footprint is a piece of collected

information from the user without permission. Examples
are the use of a search engine, online shopping, enabling
location services, and using password saving services.
An active digital footprint is where the user has
deliberately shared information about themselves either
by using social media sites or by using websites.

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RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

Examples are when posting or commenting on social media, sending an email or

instant message, and even video calling a friend.

A digital footprint can have a lasting impact on one's reputation, relationships,

and employment opportunities (both positive and negative). Anything posted online is
permanent and stays there forever regardless of being deleted. There are reasons to
care about your digital footprint as to protect one's reputation, maintain one's ability
to decide where and how personal information is shared, prevent financial loss, and
preserve one's freedom.
According to Sinha (2009), impression management is an active self
presentation of a person aiming to enhance his image in the eyes of others. It is an
act presenting a favorable public image of oneself that others will form positive
judgments (Newman, 2009). Sociologist Erving Goffman believed that we are born
driven onto a stage called everyday life and that our socialization consists of learning
how to play our assigned roles from other people. We enact our roles in the company
of others, who are portraying their roles in interaction with us. He believed that
whatever we do, we are playing out some roles on the stage of life. Factors such as
clothing, physical stature, halo effect, culture, and stereotypes affect impression
management.

Managing impressions is what impression

management is all about. The concept tries to create a
positive impression to boost its revenue figures. The two
 main motives behind the process of impression management
are the expressive motive and instrumental motive. The
expressive motive is the result of an individual's response
towards expectations, restrictions, or social norms. It
encourages a person to be in charge of his behavior and identity and influences
others accordingly. The instrumental motive, on the hand, is the aspiration of a
person to boost his self-esteem to gain desired rewards. It is why he tries to influence
and perception to get back something from other individuals.
Impression management can have positive and negative aspects. These are:
Positive Aspects Negative Aspects

• “White lies” that present the • It reinforces the perception of

individual in a better light are to
always be expected, to some
degree.
• It has been generally agreed
upon the fact that a bit
deception is sometimes
necessary in order for an
individual to get what they
want.
• “False” compliments,
agreements and other things of
this nature are well-known and
generally agreed upon and
accepted, depending on the
social setting, and without
going too far.
inferiority.
• It creates unrealistic
expectations.
• It is not scientifically backed, for
most of the cases.
• It is a contradiction in itself, as a
concept.
• It is wrong for ethical reasons,
managing impressions often
being called as “just another
name for lying”.

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RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

10 Typical Behavior and Tactics that people use to manipulate impressions

1. Lying or gossiping
People tend to resort to lying or gossiping to change a particular
outcome as part of impression management.
2. Intimidation
A person uses aggression so that he can compel others to obey him.
3. Flattery
An individual uses flowery words to improve his standing in the hope
that others will like him better because of it.
4. Dressing
The way a person dresses shows his desire to manage and change the
perception of the person with whom he is going to come into contact.
5. Conforming to social norms
A person follows all the agreed-upon rules and regulations for behavior
to make a favorable impression.
6. Boasting
This is self-presentation and includes excessive bluster to gain
 acceptance.
7. Self-promotion
A person displays his skills, know-how, and success to others to promote
himself and improve his image.
8. Supplication
A person shows his shortcomings to appear needy or to gain desperate
approval from others.
9. Behavioral matching
A person who wants to match his behavior with someone superior or
even a colleague to make favorable impression.
10. Appreciation
A person compliments another person on being in his good books.

Source: https://www.marketing91.com/impression-management/

The development of technology has led us to many mind-blowing discoveries,

better facilities, and better luxuries, but at the same time has dramatically changed
our daily lives. Various highly-developed gadgets, connected to the internet, have
changed the way we communicate, use humor, study, work, shop, play, and behave
(Turner, 2020).
Having a digital life has its pros and cons. It can link people to people,
knowledge, education, and entertainment anywhere globally at any time in an
affordable, nearly frictionless manner. It can revolutionize civic, business, consumer,
and personal logistics, opening up a world of opportunity and options. It can
empower people to improve, advance, or reinvent their lives, allowing them to self
actualize, meet soul mates, and make a difference in the world. In contrast, people's
cognitive capabilities will be challenged in multiple ways, including their capacity for

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RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY
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analytical thinking, memory, focus, creativity, reflection, and mental resilience.

People can become addicted to the usage of digital technology. The personal agency
will be reduced and emotions such as shock, fear, indignation, and outrage will be
further weaponized online, driving divisions and doubts. Information overload, trust
issues in face-to-face skills, and poor interface designs can lead to stress, anxiety,
depression, inactivity, and sleeplessness. The structure of the internet and the pace
of digital change invite ever-evolving threats to human interaction, security,
democracy, jobs, privacy, and more.

As we adapt to changes in our modern world, we must consider its

implications to our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of well-being.
We must be careful of the information we post online, how to portray our behavior
online, and the way we communicate with other people online.
The following guidelines can help us share information online in a smart way
that will protect us and not harm others. Before posting kor sharing anything online,
we must consider the following:

• Is this post/story necessary?

• Is there a real benefit to this post? Is it funny, warm-hearted, teachable –
 or am I just making noise online without purpose?
• Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved this issue? An issue that
is still being worked out at home, or one that is either vulnerable or
highly emotional, should not be made public.
• Is it appropriate? Does it stay within the boundaries of our family
values?
• Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, or 15 years? Or is this post better
suited for sharing with a small group of family members? Or maybe
not at all?
Additional Readings

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201310/the
dangerous-art-impression-management

https://louisianadreamer.wordpress.com/tag/impression-management
/ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40894-015-0014-8

https://www.theemotionmachine.com/the-dark-sides-of-our-digital-self
/ https://youtu.be/Ro_LlRg8rGg

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RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY
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Guided Exercises / Learning

Activities

Activity no. 1: Every picture tells a story

Take three selfies of you. Answer the following questions for each picture.
1. When and where was the selfie taken?

2. What were you doing before and after the picture was taken?

3. Were you alone or with other people?

4. How would you describe yourself – your appearance, feelings, state of mind
when the selfie was taken?
5. In what ways does the image represent who you ‘really’ are?

6. Why did you choose this particular selfie?

Activity no. 2: Mental Health TikTok Video
Create a three-minute TikTok video about mental health awareness.
Rubrics

Criteria Approaching Meeting Exceeding

Expectation Expectation (5 – 7 Expectation
(1 – 4 marks) marks) (8 – 10 marks)

Concept - Little effort has - Has a fairly clear - Has a clear picture
been spent on picture of what he/she of what he/she is
refining a concept. is trying to achieve. trying to achieve.
Unclear on the Can describe what Adequate
goals. he/she is trying to do description of what
but has trouble he/she is trying to do
describing what will and generally how
be the contribution of his/her work will
his/her work to the contribute to the
society. society.

Content / - Content lacks a - Information is - The content

Organization central theme, clear presented as includes a clear
point of view and connected theme with statement of
logical sequence of accurate, current purpose or theme
information. Much supporting and is creative, and
of the supporting information that compelling. A rich
information is contributes to variety of supporting
irrelevant to the understanding the information in the
overall message. project’s main idea. video contributes to
Details are logical and the understanding of
persuasive the project’s main
information is idea. Messages are
effectively used. The presented in a logical
content includes a order.
clear point of view
with a progression of
ideas and supporting
information.

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RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY
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Assessment
An assessment test will be posted in the Moodle or in the google classroom
as scheduled by your professor.

References

https://evonomie.net/digital-identity/your-digital-self-how-to-present-yourself-online
/ https://www.herald.co.zw/digital-immigrants-need-to-catch-up/

https://www.digitalhrtech.com/what-comes-after-generation-z/
https://www.zurinstitute.com/clinical-updates/digital-immigrants-digital-natives/
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/digital
immigrant.asp#:~:text=Generally%20those%20born%20before%20the,the%20inter
n et%20and%20smart%20devices.

https://www.finextra.com/blogposting/16651/what-we-mean-by-digital-identity
https://www.internetsociety.org/tutorials/your-digital-footprint-matters/
https://www.familylives.org.uk/advice/your-family/online-safety/digital-footprints
/ https://www.igrad.com/articles/privacy-and-your-digital-footprint

https://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/articles/leaving-a-digital-footprint
https://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/identity-and-reality/section2/page/2
/ https://www.marketing91.com/impression-management/

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/04/17/the-future-of-well-being-in-a-tech
saturated-world/

Alata, Eden Joy., Caslib Jr., Bernardo Nicolas., Serafica, Janice Patria J., Pawilen,
R.A. (2018). Understanding the Self. Sampaloc, Manila: Rex Bookstore Inc.
Hill, Andrew. (2018). Your digital self – why you should keep every byte you create.
Retrieved from https://medium.com/textileio/your-digital-self-why-you-should-keep
every-byte-you-create-3a73bf0b3eb1
Newman, D. M. (2009). Sociology: Exploring the architecture of everyday life.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Sinha, J. B. (2009). Culture and organization national behaviour. Thousand Oaks,

CA: Sage Publications.

Turner, Jack. (2020). The 6 Main Ways Technology Impacts Your Daily Life.
Retrieved from https://tech.co/vpn/main-ways-technology-impacts-daily-life

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VingrisTECH. (2019). Digital identity: what is it and what does it mean for
organizations. Retrieved from https://www.vintegris.tech/blog/digital-identity-what-is
it-meaning-organizations/
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