Do adolescents compromise their identity when chatting on the Internet?

Abstract

This research project intended to explore the relation between internet

Adolescents’ Self-Defining Internet Experiences

“…As asserted by Bargh et al (2002) and Larraı´n et al (2007) and also confirmed by the current study, young people can use strategies to project an online identity that is more socially desirable than their offline identity. They can experiment with different roles, fantasies, ideas, and actions, which can represent their identities (Rosenmann & Safir, 2006;Suler, 2002;Zhao et al, 2008).…”

“…Instead the user can participate detached from his or her physical body (Zhao, Grasmuch, & Martin, 2008). The Internet has changed the traditional conditions of identity construction, where people can project an identity that is more socially desirable than the "real" offline identity, allowing adolescents to portray what they see as their alternative or even true self without having to worry about their own or other people's external attributes (Bargh, McKenna, & Fitzsimons, 2002;Larraı´n, Zegers, & Alejandro, 2007). Online young people can experiment with different roles, fantasies, ideas, actions, and creations of selfpresentations and identities (Rosenmann & Safir, 2006;Suler, 2002;Zhao et al, 2008).…”

“…People are more likely to construct online identities that correspond to offline identities in non-anonymous online settings, such as Facebook, compared to anonymous environments, such as chat rooms and bulletin boards (Cinnirella & Green, 2007;Zhao et al, 2008). Nevertheless, regardless of the extent of anonymity, several studies indicate that it is fairly uncommon for adolescents to construct online identities that diverge greatly from their offline identity, involving for example changes of gender and sexuality (e.g., Larraı´n et al, 2007;Schmitt et al, 2008). Instead, it is more common to present an online identity that is very similar to the offline identity.…”

Tensions of identity in a networked era: Young people’s perspectives on the risks and rewards of online self-expression

“…Despite the opportunities associated with online self-expression, there may be important psychological reasons to limit multiplicity online. Larrain et al (2007) found that university students who used online chat to experiment with different identities tended to report higher levels of identity diffusion. Turkle warns, ‘Multiplicity is not viable if it means shifting among personalities that cannot communicate’ (1995: 258).…”