A SZEMÉLYISÉG DIGITÁLIS KONSTRUKCIÓJA: VIZUÁLIS ÉNMEGJELENÍTÉS A KÖZÖSSÉGI OLDALAKON
THE DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION OF IDENTITY: VISUAL SELFPRESENTATION ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

Author(s): Miklós Lehmann
Subject(s): Theory of Communication
Published by: Scientia Kiadó
Keywords: identity construction; social networking sites; visual self-representation;
Summary/Abstract: For newer generations, social networking sites play a significant role in both experiencing aspects of social behaviour and in shaping personality – whether it is the construction of a persona as presented to others or as a real person. In the following paper, I would like to list the factors that are decisive in the visual representation of personality. From this perspective, I have previously studied selfies, and in the autumn of 2018 I analysed with some of my students the visual self-representational qualities of images uploaded to Instagram. The research revealed that several factors are well separated in the visual self-presentation. Elements that reflect real personality traits and are intentionally self-revealing are strongly related to users’ offline lives, while those that indicatea desired personality (e.g. to achieve greater acceptance or popularity) reflectmore of an online, to some extent virtual, personality. Also close to the latter aresome of the paradigmatic, standardized or normative traits that can be extracted from the creation of images and which many people prefer to use. But is the usual distinction between offline and online personas real? Some of the literature on the subject sees selfies and other forms of digital persona as specific to the virtual world. However, in the light of these findings, itseems worthwhile to move away from an isolated view of visual representations and place them in the context of overall social behaviour and self-presentation. Itis also important to note that the representation of personality has both technical and social preconditions. But in the same way, it is also important to consider the central interrelationships between online and offline personification.

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