The Manipulation of Online Self-Presentation

Attrill, Alison

doi:10.1057/9781137483416

Cited by 26 publications

(28 citation statements)

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“…Goffman defined self-presentation as the way people constantly try to manage how others perceive them, by always playing roles when interacting (Goffman, 1959(Goffman, /1990Attrill, 2015). His theory was presented during a time when there still existed a presumed arena where people could be themselves: home alone (Goffman, 1959(Goffman, /1990Agger, 2012).…”

Section: Self-presentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The shift toward visual imagery, where interacting includes, or is made up of, photos and pictures also significantly affect our self-presentations (Jones, 2005). Self-presentation is always constructed and manipulated to fit temporal and situational norms and in online dating this is complicated by the fact that the framing of self is done for an anticipated audience (Agger, 2012;Attrill, 2015). In any given social context we respond to other people's reactions to our self-presentation.…”

Section: Self-presentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In any given social context we respond to other people's reactions to our self-presentation. This creates an interactive stage, where individuals and groups are working singularly or together to maintain impressionmanagement of one another (Goffman, 1959(Goffman, /1990Attrill, 2015;Nash and Gorman-Murray, 2019). Dating apps, especially those with geolocation services, bring excitement and opportunities but also tensions to self-presentations connected to identifiability and new and constantly changing norms (Blackwell et al, 2015).…”

Section: Self-presentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Goffman's theory undermines the notion of authenticity that most people hold dear. Both off-and online, people must navigate the emotional dissonance of trying to be their true self and still manage others' perceptions and interpretations of the self in a fashion that places them in a positive light (Suler, 2004;Attrill, 2015). Self-presenting online can foster a truer selfpresentation compared to face-to-face interactions, supposedly facilitated by the absence of traditional gating elements that dominate initial relationship formation (Bargh et al, 2002).…”

Section: Self-presentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another reason for a stronger inclination for self-presenting a more fantasy self among non-heterosexuals is that the presented self sometimes simply cannot be expressed offline. Manipulation in self-presentations can also be done in order to avoid disapproval and to achieve a sense of belonging in the online community (Attrill, 2015). Thus, it is motivated to study self-presentations of non-heterosexuals online to examine what kind of self-presentations are perceived as successful in this longing for belonging.…”

Section: Self-presentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Mind, Body and Boundaries: Self-Presentation on the Nordic LGBTQ Online Dating Scene

Miller

2019

Front. Psychol.

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Online dating is continually on the rise and nowadays a widely used and accepted way to find different kinds of companionship. This relatively new interpersonal phenomenon has provided an especially important virtual space for non-heterosexuals. Previous research on behaviors and trends on dating communities online for sexual minorities has focused primarily on sites for gay men in Anglo-Saxon countries. The purpose of the present study is to examine self-presentations on the Nordic LGBTQ online dating scene and possible gender-dependent differences in self-presentation. The Nordic countries are commonly perceived as progressive in issues regarding gender equality and LGBTQ rights. The countries on average also have low population density with large rural areas and consequently limited scenes for non-heterosexuals. A testimony of this is the study's selected dating site, which is based in Sweden but encompasses the neighboring countries and markets itself as a Nordic meeting venue. The present study embarks on new territory within psychology-, gender-, and queer research by examining self-presentations on a mixed-gender LGBTQ dating site, situated in the supposedly liberal Nordic countries. Based on qualitative and quantitative data from a stratified sample of 716 cis-gendered, predominantly Swedish online dating profiles, on a wellestablished Nordic online dating site for non-heterosexual men and women, statistical calculations and a thematic analysis (TA) were executed. The findings show that central self-presentations concern mind versus body, lust and longings, and boundaries, where gender frequently functions as the dividing line. Women self-present more through personality and romantic longings compared to men, who to a higher degree emphasizes body, and lust. Self-presentation is also expressed through resistance against boundary-breaking contact on the site. The boundaries that are guarded regard age, anti-racism and most pronounced-boundaries against male harassment of nonheterosexual women. The implications of self-presentation, possible discrimination and misrepresentation on the Nordic LGBTQ online dating scene are discussed.

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Section: Self-presentationmentioning

confidence: 99%