Abstract
Individuals change and adapt their behavior according to their social situation (e.g., transitioning from work to home). However, how does this shape shifting of self-presentations and identity translate into various online platforms? This exploratory study utilizes a novel and mixed methodological approach to better understand user behavior across social media platforms. We interviewed 22 participants and employed a repertory grid technique to reveal deeper similarities and differences in behavior across various online platforms. We found that users had a variety of strategies for managing multiple audiences across multiple platforms. Almost all participants actively separated their professional (e.g., LinkedIn) and social (e.g., Facebook or Instagram) oriented platforms typically by self-censorship of posts rather than utilizing audience management tools. Via the repertory grid technique, we revealed a number of more subtle nuances of how participants reflect on how and why they maintain a number of social media identities.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Social Media and Society |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Jan 2021 |
Funding
This work was part- funded by the Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats (ESRC Award: ES/N009614/1), www.crestresearch.ac.uk. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Keywords
- audience management
- online identity
- repertory grids
- self-presentation
- social media
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cultural Studies
- Communication
- Computer Science Applications