“Picturing” Ourselves Into Being: Assessing Identity, Sociality, and Visuality on Instagram

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session I
  In Interactive Paper Session: Visual Communication Studies Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

This paper explored the ways in which identity is conveyed on the photo-sharing site of Instagram. Using the theoretical framework of Lim and Bowers’ “Face wants” (1994), I assessed how five individuals, ages 22-25, utilized Instagram in order to negotiate their personal and social identities. Data was collected between December 15th, 2013 and February 15th, 2014. Photographs were analyzed using Richard Chalfen’s (1987) event-component framework of visual anthropology. Findings showed visual portrayals of personal identity through use of selfies, food shots and leisure shots. Visual indicators of relational identity were conveyed through nostalgia posts, tagging and aesthetic relationship signifiers (black and whites photos, picstitches and screenshots). Lastly, community identity was conveyed through Instagram language and site-specific hashtags (#motivationmonday, #throwbackthursday and #selfiesaturday). I concluded by proposing Lim and Bowers’ “Face wants” as a necessary framework for understanding how visual identity is shaped on photo-sharing sites.

Author

• Sarah Rose Marcus, Rutgers