Advertising the Self :

How users select their face for Facebook

Taylor Dal Santo

Topic

S Personal interest in Facebook usage S How people construct their online self through images S Men and women S 18-24 age bracket S Profile picture and cover image

The thesis aim

S Pilot study to combat the moral panic surrounding young

people and their use of social networking

S Provide insight into how people aged 18-24 construct their

self online, specifically Facebook

S Personal interest, ethical considerations and time presented

limitations to the scope of the study

Research Question

S What are the processes undertaken by Facebook users aged 18-24 in

selecting their profile picture and cover image?

S What are the types of images S What are the motivations for the selection of images S What are the editing processes S How often are images updated S The level of audience awareness S Presence of patterns in their image selections

Chapter 2:Literature Review

2.1 The construction of the self 2.2 The social 2.3 The online 2.4 Facebook 2.5 Images and impression management

2.1: The construction of the self

S Fixed self vs. postmodern self

2.2 Importance of the social

S For Mead, the self is a progression through social activity S For Goffman, the self is a performance in social situations S Both scholars highlight the fundamental role social experiences and

situations play in the development, navigation and constant renegotiation process of the self in everyday life.

2.3: The Online

S Profiles S The element of control S Actual or idealized online representations S Explore the commentary and skepticism

2.4: Facebook

Overview of how the platform is structured The popularity of the site using ComScore Using previous studies to identify the most heavily

weighted information
Assess audiences

2.5: Images and Impression

Management

The profile picture is an important source of information since people routinely make judgments about others based on their appearance Judgments based on profile pictures correlated most highly with personality traits
(Ivcevic & Ambady 2012)

2.6: THE GAP

S Introduce questions of gender S Lack of research into the difference in content in relation to

gender
S I am to expose gender dichotomies S Facebook is a good arena to achieve this

Chapter 3: Methodology

S Sought active users of Facebook S 25 participants was the aim S Invitation via UOW Student Life Facebook page = 10 S Snowballing = 9 S SurveyMonkey to complete online questionnaire S Email a screen shot of the top half of their profile

Questionnaire

S Section 1: Profile Picture S Section 2: Cover Images S Section 3: Demographic Questions

FAB FINDINGS

Chapter 4: PROFILE PICTURES

Judgments are [routinely] made about a person based on the picture presented on his/her online profile (Young 2009, p48)

Profile Picture Findings Qualitative

S Types of Images: S Includes significant friends/

S Motivations: S All dressed up S Advertisements for the self S Good times

others
S Image not-oneself S Selfie vs. self-image

Profile Picture Findings

Quantitative

1.

Editing:
S 13/19

4. Influence of others in decision making;

S 2/19

2. 3.

Frequency of updating; Level of audience awareness;

S Perceived vs. Concerned S Degree of perception differed

5. Trends in image selection;

S 13/19 Similar S 2/19 Broke the trend

Chapter 5: COVER IMAGES

A cover is the larger image at the top of your Page, right above your Page's profile picture. Like your profile picture, cover images are public, which means anyone visiting your Page will be able to see them. We've found that people have a better experience viewing your Page when they see a cover that's as unique as your business, brand or organization. (Facebook 2013)

Cover Image Findings - Qualitative

S Types of images; S Google images S Possessions S Places visited S Includes significant other/

S Motivations; S Looks good S Advertises the self S Good times S Not necessary S Altria motive

friends S Self-image
S No-image

Cover Image Findings Quantitative

S Audience awareness: S Editing; S Significant difference between S No concern due to privacy settings S Daily concern S No concern at all S Trends: S Features no one S Photo gallery S Space dimensions S 4 identify change S Irritating cover images; S Offensive content S Irrelevant content S Inspirational quotes

the image spaces S 8 stated no edit S 7 stated editing

S Frequency of updating: S 4 update their cover less then

their profile picture S 4 stated the same S 2 stated more than their profile picture

S Chapter 6: Discussion S Chapter 7: Conclusion S Appendix