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Performing Self through Social Media: How African American Males (Re) Construct Their Identities, Self-Presentations, and Relationships Offline and Online

Parker, Ronald L
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1440390563

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, EDU Policy and Leadership.
Abstract This qualitative study investigated how adult African American undergraduate males at a predominantly white institution (PWI) (re)constructed their identity, self-presentation, and relationships on Facebook (www.facebook.com), a popular social network site (SNS). The results of the study provided insight into how undergraduate African American males integrated their internal and external self and social media to construct and represent “who they are” on-campus and on this particular social network site. In addition, the results revealed how the participants created, managed, and facilitated their relationships in both environments, while providing useful insights into how they endured the historically negative images that have tried to define this population. Grounded theory methods including constant comparison analysis, were used to interpret the interview and supportive data from twenty-one (21) undergraduate African American male participants (e.g., online demographic questionnaire, two individual semi-structured interview sessions, and screen captured Facebook profile pages). To this end, the study revealed eight major themes: a) online identity construction - participants are influenced by their early identity in constructing their online identities, b) race, gender, and online caution - participants described how they monitored themselves as they interacted in various online and offline spaces, c) professional brand/image control - participants shared how they constructed their professional brand and protected their personal image, d) blended consciousness including academic inferiority and representation in media - participants highlighted how they dealt with their conscious duality in academic settings and how these experiences impacted their online interactions with their White counterparts, e) making his voice heard including political voice and religious voice - participants shared how Facebook created a space for them to make their voices heard when expressing their political and religious thoughts and views, f) academic use of Facebook - participants described how they directly and indirectly used Facebook for academic purpose, g) the performance - participants conveyed how they developed their self-presentation and managed their interaction with their audience, and h) anchored relationships/Offline preferred - participants expressed how they preferred to have important conversations with established relationships in both offline and online environments especially with close family members and friends. The findings also pinpointed that these participants actively integrated social media technology into their daily educational and social experiences. More importantly, the study showed a high level of awareness in both offline and online settings of creating and maintaining positive identities and self-presentations among the participants.
Richard Voithofer, Ph.D. (Advisor)
James Moore, III, Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair)
324 p.
Educational Leadership; Educational Technology
African American male, identity construction, self-presentation, PWI, Facebook,

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Parker, R. L. (2015). Performing Self through Social Media: How African American Males (Re) Construct Their Identities, Self-Presentations, and Relationships Offline and Online [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1440390563

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Parker, Ronald. Performing Self through Social Media: How African American Males (Re) Construct Their Identities, Self-Presentations, and Relationships Offline and Online. 2015. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1440390563.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Parker, Ronald. "Performing Self through Social Media: How African American Males (Re) Construct Their Identities, Self-Presentations, and Relationships Offline and Online." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1440390563

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1440390563
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© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.