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Abstract

Self-monitoring and public self-consciousness are two variables that contribute to self-presentation. Self-monitoring refers to self-observation and restraint that is guided by situational cues to social appropriateness (Snyder, 1974). Public self-consciousness is the consistent tendency of a person to direct attention outward, as well as the awareness a person has of being a social object (Nystedt & Ljungberg, 2002). To assess the relationship degree of self-monitoring and public self-consciousness has on the type of information Facebook users display on their own profiles and their perceptions of other Facebook profiles, 134 undergraduates (¬¬108 female, 26 male; 18 years or older) viewed two fictitious Facebook pages and their own Facebook pages. Facebook Page 1 was not very detailed and was cautious in the information it presented. In contrast, Facebook Page 2 was very detailed and generous in the information it presented. Participants answered a questionnaire comparing the two pages (e.g. type of information displayed, page preference, etc.), a questionnaire pertaining to their own Facebook page (type of information displayed, concern of audience, etc.), and completed the Self-Monitoring Scale (Snyder, 1974) and the Public Self-Consciousness Scale (Fenigstein, A., Sheier, M. F., & Buss, 1975). Overall, participants preferred mock Facebook Page 1; however, those who were high self-monitors preferred mock Facebook page 2. Additionally, participants agreed more with using Facebook in a limited way rather than using Facebook as a means of self-expression. Further research is needed to explore questions such as the possible implications of Facebook on communication, impression formation, and expressive behavior.

Cover Page Note

Tara Gogolinski is a graduate of Towson University. A modified version of this research was presented at the Student Research and Scholarship Expo at Towson University and at the Addictions, Infectious Diseases, and Public Health Conference at Johns Hopkins University. The author would like to acknowledge her professors, Geoffrey Munro, Jonathan Mattanah, and Brian Ogolsky for their helpful reviews to this article. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Tara Gogolinski, 751 Rolling View Drive, Annapolis, MD 21409. E-mail: tgogolinski@gmail.com

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