Networked Sociability. Exploring identity performances and new patterns of sociability in a networked world

Following Wellman and Castells, instead of being organized in groups, our lives are articulated around multiple networks, while our forms of sociability are getting growingly privatized (‘networked individualism’). Far from proposing an atomized vision of individuals, these Authors underline the growing degree of responsibility people experience in their everyday activity of relationship management, leading to Castells' networked sociability. The phenomenon addressed is wider than Social Network Sites (SNS), and includes the variety of ways in which people are linked to each other, both on- and offline. Nevertheless, SNS are powerful playgrounds, both for the user and for the researcher. They represent powerful environments to observe publicly articulated self presentation and identity performances, as long as multiple relational patterns. The purpose of the proposed presentation is to examine the use of SNS by focusing on personal profiles and ‘friendships’. Addressed topics will include: - personal profiles and identity performances - taste performances - ‘friendships’ (ambiguity of definitions; relationship management; tie's strength) - friending (criteria for accepting/refusing friends requests) - information disclosure, multiple networks and privacy concerns - cross-platform comparisons The proposed presentation is based on empirical research, both quantitative and qualitative, namely: - 2 web surveys, conducted in 2009 (the first involving Italian Facebook and MySpace users, the second involving Italian PlayStation Network users) - focus groups (6 focus groups involving Italian Facebook and MySpace users, 4 focus groups involving Italian PlayStation Network users) - in-depth interviews (involving Italian MySpace and Facebook users).