{"id":1448,"date":"2012-07-04T22:29:36","date_gmt":"2012-07-05T03:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.renando.com\/blog\/?p=1448"},"modified":"2013-06-09T11:11:40","modified_gmt":"2013-06-09T11:11:40","slug":"blogging-as-a-self-presentational-persona-why-i-have-a-wordpress-and-tumblr-blog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sidewaysthoughts.com\/blog\/2012\/07\/blogging-as-a-self-presentational-persona-why-i-have-a-wordpress-and-tumblr-blog\/","title":{"rendered":"Blogging as a self-presentational persona: Why I have a WordPress and Tumblr blog"},"content":{"rendered":"

I revived my Tumblr blog<\/a> last week on a whim when I hooked it up to my Instagram account<\/a>. \u00a0Next thing I know, I am posting one to two posts a day and discovering a voice I forgot I lost. \u00a0Mark Leary<\/a> and Ashley Allen<\/a> help me understand how and why we maintain multiple self-expressions in their journal article Self-Presentational Persona: Simultaneous Management of Multiple Impressions<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"mirror-01-01\"<\/p>\n

Understanding multiple impressions of our self-presentational persona<\/h2>\n

My journey to multiple blogs across WordPress and Tumblr has been shared by many other bloggers<\/a>.\u00a0 Leary and Allen highlight three areas to consider when managing our self-presentations:<\/p>\n

1. Normative versus distinctive persona components<\/h3>\n

\"Normative<\/p>\n

Our persona has a normative component<\/em><\/strong> that generalises how we interact in society. Most people exhibit common behaviours when in a church setting as compared to how people relate in a romantic relationship.\u00a0 You expect a certain voice in a management blog as compared to a relationship or pop culture blog.<\/p>\n

Our persona also has a distinctive component<\/em><\/strong> that reflects how our self-presentation differs from the norm. \u00a0Your leadership approach in a business networking function will differ from others in the same setting, but still be socially acceptable.\u00a0 Your blog popularity may depend on how well you are recognisable in your industry but remain distinct as \u201cyou\u201d.<\/p>\n

The more important our perceived image is to our identity, the less likely we are to vary from the norm. You are more likely to toe the corporate and popular line if your content impacts on your future. This is also why there is creative freedom (and potential career consequences) if you mentally disconnect your perceived perceptions from your content.<\/p>\n

2. Persona alignment with self-view<\/h3>\n

\"Personae_02_Alignment\"<\/p>\n

Our self-perception is constrained by reality.\u00a0 People expect you to \u201cbe yourself\u201d and be who you claim to be. Deceptive impressions are negatively sanctioned by a society looking for authenticity.<\/p>\n

We are also significantly more likely to present ourselves aligned with our self-view when we are closer to the other party in the relationship.\u00a0 For example, it is much easier to \u201cbe ourselves\u201d when we feel a connection with our audiences, such as around a respected colleague or family member. On the other hand, the gap between behaviour and self-image increases when we do not know or like the other party, such as a room full of strangers or someone perceived as an enemy.<\/p>\n

3. Multiple self-presentation personae<\/h3>\n

\"Personae_03_Multiple\"<\/p>\n

Two extremes may exist. Some may have a different package of images for every situation, being \u201call things to all people<\/em>\u201d.\u00a0 This may make them adaptable but also potentially viewed as unstable, unpredictable, or manipulating.<\/p>\n

Others may present the same image in all situations, expressed as \u201cThis is just who I am, they can take me or leave me.<\/em>\u201d Such sentiment may score points for consistency and authenticity, but at a cost of being inappropriate in some or many situations depending on how the image aligns with social norms.<\/p>\n

Most people in real life maintain three to six personas. Translating this to social media personae, people have multiple categories of “work”, “personal”, and “hobbies” for a blog. \u00a0They may maintain different \u201cvoices\u201d for the professional LinkedIn account or the more personal Facebook environment.<\/p>\n

Applying theory to who I am on WordPress and Tumblr<\/h2>\n

My WordPress<\/strong> blog has evolved into weighty, research-driven critiques on the cross-section of social science, organisational development, personal development, and digital. Originally titled \u201cSideways Thoughts\u201d, my posts have become less sideways over time. I also found my blog and my perspective circling each other in an overriding critical trend defined by my University studies and work experiences.\u00a0 Posting my thoughts on a James Bond movie<\/a> would now seem out of place, but I still desired a lighter and more frequent expression.<\/p>\n

Tumblr<\/strong> on the other hand is what I originally intended for WordPress, a quick snippet of where I am at the moment in more words than Twitter will allow.\u00a0 I could create another WordPress blog for this purpose, but Tumlr also gives me the opportunity to experience another platform and community.<\/p>\n

Being aware of the theory behind self-expression helps keep our social media personae from becoming fragmented or over-exposed:<\/p>\n