For this assignment, I decided to analyze my closest friend’s facebook profile. In my analysis, I use the Brunswikian Lens Model, in which individuals make inferences about the characteristics of others as well as produce behaviors that reflect their personalities. The lens refers to the environment cues through which observers make inferences about characteristics. Further, analysis through the Five Factor Model reveals actual personality judgments.
The Brunswikian Lens Model describes four mechanisms that link individuals to their environment. First, self-directed identity claims (or statements made by individuals for their own benefit) within my friend’s profile contains his inclusion in the Cornell Alum network, as the statement is solely intended to reinforce his own self views. In this case, he is distinguishing himself from the Class of 2008 because he took his junior year off for an internship. Although a few of his closest friends know the reason he has chosen the alum network, the information is primarily for his own benefit.
Also described in the Brunswikian Lens Model is other-directed identity claims, which have shared meanings to make statements to others about how they would like to be regarded. Concerning my friend’s profile, there are plenty. Spread across every area of his personal information, my friend makes evident his predominant interest- airlines. In his listed activities, he includes Flyertalk (a forum for frequent flyers and airline enthusiasts) as well as his position as Teaching Assistant for an Airline Management course. Further, his interests include airlines and his favorite movies include Airport ’77 and View from the Top. Finally, his quotes certainly depict his airline interest…
The romance of travel lives on.- Singapore Airlines (AIRLINE OF THE YEAR, 2007)
Unmistakingly first.- British Airways
Avanzamos hacia una nueva forma de volar.- Iberia
In addition, the final quote by Iberia shows another other-directed identity claim- Europe, which is also found within his interests (“Europe”) and books, which are all listed in Spanish (as he was born in Spain). As his interests are clear, it is evident that he is making statements with which he would like to be associated.
Regarding interior behavioral residue (physical traces of activities conducted in the immediate environment), my friend is a member of several facebook groups, such as Air Cabin Crew, Valedictorians Unite!, and aficionados del Español. In addition, his posts on other friends’ walls also demonstrates interior behavioral residue, as both the groups and wall posts are activities within the immediate (facebook) surroundings.
Lastly, the Brunswikian Lens Model describes exterior behavioral residue as residue of behaviors performed outside the immediate environment. Numerous pictures of previous flight experiences and Europe exemplify such residue, as the pictures associate my friend with actions performed outside of facebook.
Finally, the Five Factor Model (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and contentiousness) is also applicable. My friend’s neuroticism (emotional instability) cannot be adequately measured using merely his facebook profile. However, extraversion (energy and tendency to seek the company of others) is quite noticeable, as many of my friend’s posted pictures include activities with friends and family. A measure of his openness (appreciation for art, emotion, adventure) is also available simply be looking at his personal information, which reflects a range of appreciation for the arts (film & literature), travel (airlines & Europe), etc. Lastly, information from his profile (such as his pictures with family) shows his compassion toward others, known as agreeableness, as well as depicts his self-discipline and aim for achievement (through information on his aspirations to become an airline CEO and his current academic successes), known as contentiousness within the five-factor model.
Through both the Brunswikian Lens and Five Factor Model, one is able to accurately measure the greatest interests of someone on facebook (given that the neccessary information is provided). However, there is still much more that lies beneath the surface, which only a true friend could know.
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5 comments:
I agree with what your title in that the Brunswikian lens is a limited lens to look through. I also did option two, and found that it was hard to get a true understanding of the person just based on these 4 individual-environmental cues. Although I did gain much insight on some of the big five personality traits, I left feeling that I had not gotten the full impression of this person, but that with time I could have gained a better impression. However, the time aspect seems that it would apply to Facebook differently than other CMC environments we have previously explored. Over time, people can add more things to their profile that give us more information about them, but in e-mail or instant messaging, for example, we can talk to people over a period of time and learn more about them, as described by the social-information processing theory. This time aspect does not play as big of a role in Facebook profiles. However, I guess one could learn more about someone as they are tagged in more pictures, change their activities, and interests, and more people write on their wall. This continuous monitoring of a profile could be helpful in giving us a greater understanding of someone.
I like the way you describe and analyse each part of his profile. It makes more sense to give complete description. But if the analysis for Brunswikian lens could take more space, it would be great.
Although I sorted the network as self-directed identity claims as well, I do have some concerns. For example, as an international student, which network should I choose for geographic network(you can only have one choic on Facebook)? My original Country or my current place? If I make it my original country, it will help me to find people who came from the same country, but I also may lose some chance to meet up new friends in my current area...In this case, the choice may depend more on what information do I want to transmit to others.
Hey Robert,
First of all, I must say that I feel your blog is a great example of the application and significance of the Brunswikian Lens Model in relation to Facebook! It is very organized and concise. You explicitly explain the model and the four mechanisms associated with it. I especially like the examples you chose to highlight each of the mechanisms. Your show your understanding of the model by relating it to your friend’s interest in airlines, flight, and Europe. His interests are significant, seeing how they are evident in his identity claims and behavioral residue. You also did a great job at relating the Five Factor Model to the Brunswikian Lens Model in terms of judging personality traits from a Facebook profile. I completely agree with you when you say that the Facebook profile is a very limiting; it does not allow an individual to form completely accurate judgment of a person’s personality. Thought there are various cues available to infer something aspects of an individual’s personality, the Facebook profile cannot alone be used to interpret such information.
Overall, I really enjoyed your blog! Great job!
Joshua Navarro
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