A Vanity Affair- Principles of Self-Presentation in the Digital Age with Evidence from Neuroscience- A Synthesis of Literature Review

Abstract

Humans have always been a social species. We have been communicating, coordinating, cooperating, with one another since time immemorial. Our communication today differs starkly from what it was before. Thanking this expansive-multifaceted machinery which spans globally- conducts a flow of information, opinions, and behaviours that are meant to inform, persuade, entertain and (perhaps) manipulate us, also causes a certain sense of disruption. With the advent of media, our lifestyles have become ever more transient and reliant on digital tools, and our sense of self is under acute threat. This review is used to direct observation to investigate the relationship between social media, presentation of oneself, conformity within (unwritten) rules, norms and regulations- and how it pervades not only our interactions in the online world but also makes itself apparent, offline. The existing relevant literature was retrieved via a literature search. Published articles were classified according to their overall themes and then modestly summarized. The results convincingly showed that there is a significant difference that lies in the way individuals present themselves online, as opposed to their true self offline, which causes a severe dissonance. This study also highlights ideas from neuroscientific research to provide evidentiary support for the topics covered. However, the subsequent literature may be vulnerable to class differences and confirmation bias. Thus, it is well-advised for a larger, in-depth study to be undertaken in the future to overcome these deficiencies.