it's not things you're doing nowit could be things that you aspire to do in the future, or if you'remaking yourself appear as a player
or someone poetic, it may not be exactly who you are now but it could be someone who you aspire to be in the future. (male)
The ambiguous line between the real and the unreal opens opportunities for emerging adults to experiment with aspects of the
self that might be inhibited in the offline world, as the following two examples show:
I think MySpace and the Internet in general makes things more free and like ok, like it's just a comment on MySpace and
people don't usually take stuff that seriously. (female)
It's really laid back. It's like MySpace is a place to come when you want to have a somewhat private party… it's not a time
to be serious…like a real fantasy thing sort of. (female)
That many participants said they do not take MySpace too seriously suggests that this context is ideal for trying out different
identities without full commitment.
3.2.1.3. Portrayal of self through social comparison.
Oh so much social comparison happens on MySpace…it's always interesting to see how people develop, you always want to
keep tabs on the most popular girl in school because youwant to see, four years down the line, yeah I'm doing better than her.
(female)
Similar to offline social interactions, the preceding example shows that emerging adults utilize MySpace to construct a sense of
self in relation to what their peers are doing, gauging their progression in comparison to others. Many participants said they
spend time observing other profiles. Social comparison may be intensified on MySpace because many peers are easily accessible
on the network and their personal information is open for observation. Also, because users are observing peers who often
manifest only their most positive self-aspects on the Internet, emerging adults are comparing themselves with idealized images.
This situation produces pressure to keep up, as the next example shows:
[What is cool] changes at times, the stereotypes and what is out there, every season and every year something
new is hot so like as long as you keep up with those stuff and then you try to incorporate those into your page somehow.
(male)
The next comment suggests the potential for a negative impact of social comparison on MySpace for personal identity. When
one's profile does not measure up to others' virtual displays, the deficit may be internalized:
I have a few friends who are artistic and they have a lot of their own art or they mutilate pictures in an artsy way so you can
just tell that they are artistic people. Mine is very plain, I'm a very plain person I guess. (female)
Social comparison can help emerging adults realize how they wish (or do not wish) to progress into adulthood:
I look at MySpace and I see that they're like engaged or married or having kids, I'm like, they're still trying to make their life
look glamorous, but I mean if that's what you wanna do then I'm more than happy for you, but I can't imagine being twenty
with two kids and a husband right now. (female)
MySpace gives users the opportunity not to just present a static ideal image, but to present an image that changes and grows:
It's just a way to promote yourself to society and show everyone, “I'm moving up in the world, I've grown, I've changed a lot
since high school. (male)
In this way, MySpace gives emerging adults a tool to manifest images of themselves that mark their transitions into adulthood.
3.2.2. Social identity
3.2.2.1. Relationship displays. Relationships are performed publicly on MySpace through the comment wall. Comments are not
just conversations between two people; they are conversations before an audience:
If you leave someone a comment, not only are you gonna see it but all your other friends are gonna see it. (male)
When communication between people on a profile wall becomes a spectacle for the audience, the conversation takes on
additional meanings, and individuals are portrayed to the wider audience through the relationship connection:
There's totally an ulterior motive to writing on thewall than just sending a message. You're putting it out there for everyone,
like look I'm cool and I'm talking to this person and I'm telling him about the party that I went to last night. (female