UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
DIGITAL SELF
Material Self
POSSESSIONS AND SELF-IDENTITY
I. SYMBOLIC COMMUNICATION
MODEL
o Help people define themselves.
o Enhance people’s images and
develop a positive sense of self.
o Reassure people that they are what
they wish to be.
o Symbolize and act as extensions of
the personal and social aspects of
identity.
o Are used to compensate for what
people lack.
MATERIALISM
- it refers to the importance a consumer
attaches to worldly possessions.
- The extent to which consumption becomes
the primary source of satisfaction.
CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION
- Consumers own high-priced status-oriented
goods to impress others to convince them of
their high social status.
II. LOSS OF POSSESSIONS
- Why do people respond so strongly to the
loss of certain possessions, especially if
those possessions have little or functional
value?
o Acquisition of material possessions
o Loss of possessions
o Loss of important aspect of self
o Negative reactions
POSSESSIONS & UNSTABLE MEANINGS
Meaning: the meaning or value of material things
are in a constant state of flux.
Culture: This value is constantly subjected to the
manipulation by individuals, social groups, and
marketing agents.
Constant Adjustment: This fluidity
- When we talk about psychological state, we
talk about this timeframe that is set for your
feeling of the day.
- We are influence by what we see and what
we hear digitally.
CYBERPSYCHOLOGY
I. Self-Identity in Cyberspace
- It is developing your self-concept including
your thoughts and feelings about oneself.
o Actual Self – the characteristics that
an individual does actually possess.
o Ideal self – the characteristic that an
individual would like to possess.
o Ought self - the characteristics that
an individual
 Identifyiable Offline World
- any deviance from established social norms
may be ppunished or ridiculed
- a person’s true self is often inhibited
 Anonymouos Online World
- Masks people wear offline are often
discarded
- ‘true’ selves allowed to emerge
- E.g., freedom walls
 Identifyable Online World
- People may tend to express their “hoped-for-
possible selves”
- E.g., edited and filtered photos in Social
media
 Anonymity
o Positive Effect
o Negative Effect
- Tied with: Autonomy
II. Online Behavior Theory
 Equalisation Hypothesis (Kiesler et al.,
19874)
o Removal of social cues due to
anonymity
o Reduction in stereotypes
o Increase in social power online
  Social Identity Model of deindividuation o Dependent, problematic behaviour,
effects (side) theory (Zimbardo, 1979) including withdrawal symptoms,
o Deindividuation – when a person increasing tolerance
loses self-awareness when in a  Internet Gaming
group. o Digital World
o Importance of situational explicit
variables in a social situation
o When social identity is strong –
strong the influence and effect of
social norms
o Major role: race, ethnicity, country,
culture, and education

5 different types of Privacy (Pederson, 1979)

1. Reservation
- Reluctance to reveal personal information
about oneself.
2. Isolation
- Wish to be alone and away from others.
3. Intimacy
- Desire to be alone with either group.
POLITICAL SELF
4. Solitude
I. Active Citizenship
o Structured forms of
III. Social Media Responsible Use
engagement with political
 Set boundaries to your online self: Smart
processes and everyday forms
Sharing.
of participation in a society.
o It enhances efficacy and
- An issue still being worked out in the home,
or one that is either vulnerable or highly competence of the younger
emotional, should not be made public. generation.
- We don’t have the obligation to update II. Political Preferences and Socio-
people, it would just mess up with your economic Status
head. III. New Bills and Laws
A. SOGIE Bill
Are you a good web citizen? o Also known as Anti-
1. Stick to safer sites Discrimination Bill
2. Guard your passwords B. Mental Health Law (Republic Act
3. Limit what you share 110036)
4. Remember that anything you put online o Proposes a mental health
or posts on a site remains forever, even if policy that aims to enhance
your try to delete it. mental health in the country.
5. Do not mean or embarrass other people o Integration mental health
online services.
6. Be choosy about your online friends o The promotion of mental
7. Be patient health services.
o Protection of people who
IV. SCREEN DEPENDENCY used said services.
o Emerging problem o The establishment of a
Philippine Mental Health
Council
C. Absolute Divorce Bill (House Bill
7303)