Social avatar – in 100 words

Brunskill, David

doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.112.120329

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The existence of a 'social' avatar was proposed in 2013, as a response to characteristic human behaviour observed online, where, 'by selecting and posting written/visual material, individuals can self-manage image, and effectively create a social avatar' [3]. A further examination of this process, noted that the representational material chosen, was likely to be positively skewed as per evolutionary forces (the 'Sunday Best Phenomenon'), and that the process was cumulative, socially derived/driven, and resulted in a composite online image, or social avatar [2].…”

Section: Social Avatar Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Avatar Theory: From In Vitro to In Vivo (Instagrammer Cognition - Mind the Gap)

Brunskill

2019

PBSIJ

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The concept of a social avatar was proposed in 2013, in response to observed patterns of human behaviour on social media. Social avatar theory has since developed to provide a framework which can assist in the necessary task of being able to examine the potential effects of social media use upon user psyche. Through ubiquitous use of social media, social avatar theory has effectively moved from in vitro, to in vivo, and can now be applied in non-hypothetical terms. Via de-construction of publically available social avatar material, several aspects of social avatar theory manifest, with examples which illustrate the principles of curation, positive skew and gap/facade. In the process of de-construction, prototypical cognitive schema can be recognised (Instagrammer Cognition).It is of concern that the mooted potential for psychological costs to be incurred, has also moved from hypothetical to real life (e.g. via a decrease in personal authenticity). Social avatar theory holds that a psychologically significant gap can develop between the online facade and the reality of life offline, and in doing so, that social avatars can be inherently psychoactive. For select users (further research required with respect to vulnerability factors), the creation/maintenance of a social avatar can become all-consuming, and even contribute to states of emotional distress and discord such as envy, smiling depression, or when the gap has grown so big as to be untenable, even risk psychological breakdown. As such, a social avatar health-check should be part of digital citizenship/education initiatives -Mind the Gap.

show abstract

Section: Social Avatar Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Avatar Theory: From In Vitro to In Vivo (Instagrammer Cognition - Mind the Gap)

Brunskill

2019

PBSIJ

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Social media, social avatars and the psyche: is Facebook good for us?

Brunskill¹

2013

Australas Psychiatry

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Advanced thinking around social media may exist on an organizational level, but on an individual level there exists a need to catch up, as the psychological dimensions of going online are significant and deserve consideration. Inherent to the experience of using social media is the self selection of favorable material to represent the individual. This process is cumulative, and effectively creates a socially-derived and socially-driven, composite online image ('social avatar'). Humans notably select their best aspects for presentation to others and the social avatar reflects this tendency, effectively facilitating the creation of a 'gap' between online image (representation) and offline identity (substance). The creation of a social avatar should therefore be an important and conscious consideration for all users of social media, not just those individuals already struggling with the task of integrating the multiple facets which make up modern personal identity. Social avatars appear to be an important factor in understanding the inherent potential for social media to affect the psyche/contribute to psychopathology within the individual.

show abstract

Social avatar – in 100 words

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Social Avatar Theory: From In Vitro to In Vivo (Instagrammer Cognition - Mind the Gap)

Social Avatar Theory: From In Vitro to In Vivo (Instagrammer Cognition - Mind the Gap)

Social media, social avatars and the psyche: is Facebook good for us?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About