MODULE 2: Unpacking the Self

Lesson 4: The Digital Self

INTRODUCTION
Today’s adolescents are exposed to a technology revolution with the prevalence of
computer use and accessibility, the internet, and sophisticated mobile phones. The social
environment of present-day adolescents has increasingly become digitally mediated. The
amount of time these adolescents spend online can have both positive and negative outcomes
(Santrock, 2014). With this influx of digital technology, a new version of the self is formed, the
digital self.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, it is expected that you will be able to:
1. Identify the different forces that impact the development of the socio-digital self;
2. Discuss the impact of social media on mental health;
3. Set boundaries in your online self; and
4. Examine your digital self by creating My Self Collage.

ACTIVITY

ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING SCHEDULE

1. Read and watch the learning materials provided for this lesson (i.e., video
presentation, supplemental materials, and PowerPoint presentation).

2. On line Survey
Instruction:
1. Group yourselves into six.
2. Choose one topic/question below for an online survey.
3. Create your group chat, zoom meet, or any platform you prefer to use.
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 Continuation...
4. Meet and do the following:
a. Assignment/participation in the data gathering and in pooling
together this data to understand the “pulse of the public” regarding
their chosen question.
b. Summarize the data gathered by each member and make it ready
for the presentation.
Here are the topics / questions:
(1) Who goes online and why (gender, age, others)?
(2) How do you present yourself online and offline(difference)?
(3) What is the usual content of your posts?
(4) What are the benefits you get from online participation?
(5) What are the usual positive and negative effects of using social media?

Reminders
 This activity will be done before the synchronous learning schedule.
 To ensure each member's full participation, each group will need to submit either a screenshot of the
group chat or a photo of the zoom meeting, etc.
 List down the contribution of each member.

ANALYSIS

SYNCHRONOUS LEARNING SCHEDULE

via VIDEO CONFERENCING
On the Learning Materials
 Let us reflect on the materials (PowerPoint presentation, lecture video, etc.)
1. Does spending too much time in cyberspace affect one’s personality?
2. Is there a big difference between the digital self and the real self?
3. Have we surrendered ourselves to technology? Is it possible to return to the way
things were?

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 continuation...

4. Is technology altering/ affecting our relationship with other people?

Online Survey
 What are your realizations in the online survey that you conducted?
 Based on what you’ve learned from the activity, what are the things that you
think you need to improve in your online behavior?
 What is your general impression of social media users?

ABSTRACTION
SOCIO-DIGITAL SELF
With the rise of technology, ways of socializing have significantly changed. In the past,
interpersonal relationships can only be established through face-to-face interactions within
physical communities. Nowadays, people can interact with one another even if they are not
physically present in the same place. One of the innovations that improved people’s interaction
and socialization processes is social media.

Social media is defined as the websites and applications that make it easier to create
and share information, ideas, and interests. It also allows people to create other forms of self-
expression via virtual communities and networks. Social media has features that allow people
to communicate to specific groups sharing common interests (through chat, video call, or
posting of status and photos) and become members of virtual communities, be it locally or
globally. These features make way for more efficient ways of socializing and communicating
with other people and enable these communities to impact thoughts and behaviors.

People may act differently in social media since social media interactions do not happen
face to face, and no physical presence is required. It is called online disembodiment. With this,
people are less likely to display their real “selves” to others, especially strangers. Based on
different studies, individuals are prone to create digital identities different from their “real
selves.”
THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL IDENTITY

People generally have “role identities.” These are the character and roles an individual
creates as a member of a particular social group. Following this definition, the “self” is
composed of identities ranked by importance—the greater the individual's commitment to a
particular identity, the greater its importance. Hence, the importance of one’s particular role
identity influences an individual's behavioral choices in a given situation.

In an online environment, one’s role identity is vitally important for him/her to project
himself/herself in the said environment. Amidst the technological tools and channels
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surrounding the individuals and online activities that people engage in, one’s online identity
enables him/her to participate in a virtual society. Online activities such as chatting, blogging,
and even shopping online would require the person to establish a “digital identity” defined as
the identity a person claims in cyberspace.

Digital identity allows a person to be part of a virtual community beyond physical and
geographical boundaries. By having a digital identity, one can leave online footprints in
cyberspace. The posts one makes on social media platforms, the online name one creates, the
internet friends one acquires, and things one “likes, comments on, and shares” become part of
the digital an individual creates.
For some people, their digital identities are an extension of who they are. Personalities,
interests, values, and activities are often manifested in people’s online activities, especially on
social media platforms, where they relate to others in the online environment. However,
participation in a virtual environment may entail changes that may affect a person’s sense of
self. In fact, in cyberspace, people are capable of creating multiple digital identities.

People are likely to behave differently when engaged in social media interactions since
physical presence is not required. Social media enables individuals to adopt identities
independent of one’s physical image. According to Turkle (1995), people can redefine
themselves on the internet. Assumptions made in the virtual world are different from those of
real life. In some cases, people present themselves differently in online interactions than in the
face-to-face interactions they engage in.
Social media also enables people to create fake identities. An individual can create
different social media accounts to hide his/her real self. People tend to create fake digital
identities to be capable of doing inappropriate acts without being identified.
TWO CATEGORIES OF ONLINE DISINHIBITION

When people adopt fake identities, they are likely to engage in behaviors that they would
not do in real-life interactions. This effect is known as online disinhibition (Suler, 2004).
There are two main categories of behavior that fall under the online disinhibition effect:
BENIGN DISINHIBITION and TOXIC DISINHIBITION. Benign disinhibition occurs when
people tend to self-disclose more on the internet than they would in real life or go out of their
way to help someone or show kindness. On the other hand, people take part in toxic
disinhibition when they use rude language, bully or threaten others on online platforms, or
go to websites with violence, crime, and pornography.

People engage in online disinhibition due to several factors. These include the
advantage of anonymity, virtual invisibility, asynchronous communication (where there is no
need to deal with another person’s reaction or feedback immediately), and personal
introjection (people tend to assign an identity to the other person that is also a reflection of
their self). Somehow, these factors contribute to bridging social gaps and expressing oneself
in a way that one will not do in face-to-face interactions.

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SIX (6) WAYS SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECTS OUR MENTAL HEALTH (Walton, 2017)

Health experts love to say that sitting is the new smoking. Given the number of diseases
to which sitting is linked and the number of people it kills every year, sitting is one of the worst
things we can do for health. But possibly as concerning is what we often do while we're sitting:
Mindlessly scrolling through our social media feeds when we have a few spare minutes (or,
for some, hours). And as we probably know intuitively, and as the research confirms, it's not
the best habit when it comes to our collective psychology.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned about the potential adverse effects of
social media in young kids and teens, including cyber-bullying and "Facebook depression."
But the same risks may be true for adults across generations. Here's a quick run-down of the
studies that have shown that social media isn't very good for mental well-being, and in some
ways, it can be pretty damaging.

1. It’s addictive.
2. It triggers more sadness, less well-being.
3. Comparing our lives with others is mentally unhealthy.
4. It can lead to jealousy—and a vicious cycle.
5. We get caught in the delusion of thinking it will help.
6. More friends on social media doesn’t mean you’re more social.

It is not to say that social media has no benefit as it keeps us connected across great
distances and helps us find people we’d lost touch with years ago. But getting on social when
you have some time to kill or, worse, need an emotional lift is very likely a bad idea. And
studies have found that taking a break from Facebook helps boost psychological well-being.
If you're feeling brave, try taking a little break, and see how it goes and if you're going to keep
"using", then at least try to use it in moderation.
SETTING BOUNDARIES TO YOUR ONLINE SELF: SMART SHARING

According to psychologist and coach Dana Gionta, Ph.D., “safety and protection” is the
most important reason to set boundaries online. You don’t want to give out private information
to the world, and professionally, you don’t want to compromise your credibility and reputation,
she said.

It is important to regulate online behavior. Cyberbullying happens because of individuals

who display irresponsible and inappropriate online behavior. How can one behave responsibly
online? The following are some suggestions:

1. Do not post or send anything that will embarrass you.

2. Avoid posting statements when experiencing strong emotions.
3. Do not hang out with the “wrong crowd” online.
4. Do not hang out with the “wrong crowd” offline.
5. Be careful with oversharing, especially confidential information that
may be used irresponsibly.
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6. Respect other people in the online community.

Following the above suggestions, one can foster and project a healthy digital identity
that positively impacts his/her social self. People may learn new information, gain more
friends, widen their perspectives through healthy online sharing, and nurture better social
values in an online platform. Unlike in face-to-face interactions, where conversations may be
forgotten, online conversations leave digital traces that may remain indefinitely for others to
see. Thus, people should exercise decorum online in the same way they exercise etiquette in
real life.

ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION
SYNCHRONOUS ASSESSMENT ASYNCHRONOUS ASSESSMENT
Output Presentation My Self Collage
Each group will choose one The students will create a collage
representative and will be given 5 of images representing their online and
minutes to present the output of group offline self.
activity (on line survey).
A rubric assessment tool will be
A rubric assessment tool will be
utilized for the evaluation of activity.
utilized for the evaluation of activity.

REFERENCES
Macayan, J.V. et al. (2018). Understanding the self: An outcome-based modular courseware.
Quezon City: C & C Publishing Inc.
Santrock, J.W. (2014). Child development. New York: McGraw-Hil
Spencer, K. (2018, January 21). A psychology researcher explains how social media is
changing us. Salon. Retrieved from [Link]
researcher-explains-how-social-media-is-changing-us/
Suler, J. (2004). The online disinhibition effect. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 7(3), 321-6.
[Link]
Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the internet. New York; Simon &
Schuster.

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Walton, A.G. (2017, June 30). 6 ways social media affects our mental health. Forbes. Retrieved
from [Link]
effects-on-our-mental-health/?sh=7987e6732e5a

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