Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Building identity in online environments: an Information Science perspective

Ryan, Frances V C; Cruickshank, Peter; Hall, Hazel; Lawson, Alistair

Authors

Hazel Hall



Abstract

The research presented in this poster is concerned with the ways in which people use information to build identities for themselves online with reference to the themes of personal reputation management. To date these two themes have been under-explored together in the research literature, both in general, and from an Information Science perspective. The poster content shares findings related to three areas of identity building: (1) the creation and use of online personas and identities; (2) the use of anonymity and pseudonyms through information sharing – or concealment – practices; and (3) the ways in which the blurring or merging together of participants’ private and professional selves. This study used participant diaries and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 45 UK-based participants. The main finding presented here is that individuals present elements of their online persona or personality using online information, but that they do not do so with the intention of building identity. The findings explored in this presentation are contextualised with reference to identity building in the more formal setting of academic reputation management, i.e. through the use of citations

Citation

Ryan, F. V. C., Cruickshank, P., Hall, H., & Lawson, A. (2018). Building identity in online environments: an Information Science perspective. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 54(1), 792-793. https://doi.org/10.1002/pra2.2017.14505401187

Journal Article Type Conference Paper
Conference Name Annual Meeting of The Association for Information Science & Technology
Start Date Oct 27, 2017
End Date Nov 1, 2017
Acceptance Date Aug 9, 2017
Online Publication Date Oct 24, 2017
Publication Date Jan 13, 2018
Deposit Date Oct 9, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology
Print ISSN 0044-7870
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 54
Issue 1
Pages 792-793
DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/pra2.2017.14505401187
Keywords citation practices, everyday life information seeking, identity, information behaviour and use, online identity, social media, social networking, reputation
Public URL http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/995212

Files

Building identity in online environments: an information science perspective (143 Kb)
PDF







You might also like



Downloadable Citations