2. Evaluate the view that virtual communities have a positive impact on people’s identity.
OCR
A Level
2020
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Essay Outline: Virtual Communities and Identity
This essay will evaluate the view that virtual communities have a positive impact on people's identity, drawing on sociological theories and evidence. It will consider both arguments for and against this claim, ultimately concluding that while virtual communities can offer opportunities for positive identity development, they also present potential risks and challenges.
Introduction
Introduce the concept of virtual communities and their potential influence on identity. Briefly define key terms like 'virtual community' and 'identity'. State the essay's argument: while offering positive possibilities, virtual communities can also negatively impact identity formation.
AO1: Knowledge and Understanding
Arguments for Positive Impact
- Boellstorff: Virtual worlds can challenge traditional notions of identity and society, allowing individuals to explore alternative selves.
- Carter: 'Cybercity' provides a space for social connection, expanding social networks and enhancing self-esteem, benefiting identity.
- Rosenblatt and Tushnet: Virtual communities liberate people from physical limitations, enabling them to choose their identity and appearance.
- Turkle: Individuals can present idealized versions of themselves online, fostering a sense of self-improvement.
- Baudrillard: Virtual profiles on social media create a 'simulacra,' a mediated representation of identity (Durham & Kellner).
- Feminist perspectives (Haraway): Virtual spaces allow women to transcend traditional gender roles and focus on other aspects of their identity, becoming 'cyborgs'.
- Case: Virtual communities encourage the development of multiple facets of identity, emphasizing the "cyborg" nature of modern individuals.
- Nakamura: Access to global communities can boost confidence in expressing identity, particularly for women from ethnic minority backgrounds.
- Interactionists (Gardner & Davis): Individuals shape interactions within virtual communities, influencing their identity and self-presentation.
Arguments against Positive Impact
- Recent concerns: Young people revealing mental health issues in virtual communities may internalize negative self-perceptions.
- Gardner & Davis: Virtual communities can contribute to narcissistic tendencies in young people.
- Twenge: The "i-generation" spends less time with real-life friends, leading to higher anxiety and loneliness.
- Cyberbullying: Negative impact on identity (Livingstone, Haddon, Vincent, Mascheroni, Olafsson, O’Keefe & Clarke Pearson).
- Justice and Jamieson: Lack of non-verbal cues can hinder understanding of others' identities, impacting communication and relationships.
- Grooming: Virtual communities can be misused for harmful purposes, negatively impacting identity.
- Turkle: Indirect online communication can lead to isolation, further impacting identity formation.
- Feminist perspectives (Jane): Virtual communities, often created and controlled by men, may perpetuate patriarchal attitudes and reinforce subordinate identities. They can also be a source of "gendered cyberhate."
AO2: Application
Apply the source material to the argument. For example:
- Source B supports the postmodern view that virtual communities can positively impact both real and virtual identity.
- Source B highlights the ability to choose how to present oneself in virtual communities, affecting virtual identity.
- Source B emphasizes the potential for identity transformation regardless of social factors like gender, ethnicity, class, age, or disability.
- Source B raises concerns about the potential negative effects of virtual communities on individual identities.
- Source B questions the control and regulation of virtual communities, which can have implications for identity.
AO3: Analysis and Evaluation
Critically analyze the arguments presented and evaluate the overall impact of virtual communities on identity.
- While virtual communities offer opportunities for positive identity development, the potential for negative consequences cannot be ignored.
- The risks of cyberbullying, grooming, and online isolation should be considered alongside the benefits of increased social connection and identity exploration.
- The influence of power dynamics and gender roles within virtual communities needs critical examination.
- The impact of virtual communities on identity is complex and multifaceted, requiring nuanced analysis and ongoing research.
Conclusion
Summarize the main arguments and restate the essay's conclusion. Acknowledge the potential for both positive and negative impacts of virtual communities on identity. Suggest further research directions or areas for future consideration.
Virtual Communities and Identity: A Positive Impact?
The rise of the internet and social media has led to the emergence of virtual communities, spaces where individuals connect and interact online. This essay will evaluate the view that these communities have a positive impact on people's identities.
Arguments for a Positive Impact
Proponents argue that virtual communities offer individuals unprecedented freedom in shaping their identities. Source B highlights the postmodern perspective, suggesting that individuals can curate their virtual identities, transcending limitations of the physical world such as gender, ethnicity, and social class. This aligns with Turkle's argument that virtual spaces allow for the presentation of idealized versions of oneself. Rosenblatt and Tushnet further emphasize this liberation from physical constraints, suggesting individuals can experiment with different facets of their personalities.
Moreover, virtual communities can foster a sense of belonging and support, particularly for individuals struggling with their identity in the offline world. Carter's research on "Cybercity" reveals how these spaces provide opportunities for connection and relationship building, potentially boosting self-esteem and strengthening one's sense of self. This is echoed in Nakamura's work, which highlights how online platforms can empower marginalized groups, such as women from ethnic minorities, to express their identities more confidently.
From an interactionist perspective, as proposed by Gardner and Davis, virtual interactions contribute significantly to identity formation. Individuals actively construct meaning through their online engagements, influencing how they perceive themselves and present themselves to others. This aligns with Boellstorff's research, which suggests that virtual worlds can challenge pre-existing notions of identity and societal norms.
Arguments Against a Positive Impact
However, critics argue that the curated nature of online identities can be detrimental. Baudrillard's concept of "simulacra," highlighted by Durham and Kellner, suggests that online profiles often represent carefully constructed facades rather than authentic selves. This can lead to a disconnect between online and offline identities, potentially resulting in feelings of inadequacy and inauthenticity.
Furthermore, virtual communities are not immune to the social inequalities present in the offline world. Feminist scholars like Haraway and Case, while acknowledging the potential for online spaces to transcend gender norms, caution against oversimplifying this dynamic. They argue that patriarchal structures and gendered power imbalances persist online, potentially reinforcing existing inequalities and leading to phenomena like "gendered cyberhate," as discussed by Jane.
Concerns also exist regarding the impact of virtual communities on mental well-being, particularly among young people. Twenge's research on the "i-generation" suggests that increased time spent online correlates with higher levels of anxiety and loneliness. The anonymity afforded by online platforms can also facilitate cyberbullying, which, as Livingstone, Haddon, Vincent, Mascheroni and Olafsson, O’Keefe & Clarke Pearson argue, can have devastating effects on self-esteem and identity formation.
Conclusion
While virtual communities offer individuals opportunities for self-expression and connection, it is crucial to acknowledge the potential downsides. The curated nature of online identities, the persistence of offline inequalities, and the risks posed by cyberbullying underscore the need for a critical perspective. Ultimately, the impact of virtual communities on identity is multifaceted, influenced by individual experiences and the specific dynamics of each online space. While they hold the potential for positive change, it is naive to ignore the potential pitfalls and the need for safeguarding measures to ensure a healthy and empowering online experience for all.
Free Mark Scheme Extracts
AO1: Knowledge and Understanding
Virtual community - a social network of individuals that create an online community which can cross geographical, political and social lines.
There should be a focus on identity - more generalised positive impacts should be credited as underdeveloped.
Supporting evidence may include:
- Virtual worlds can change ideas about people’s identity and society, people can choose an alternative identity; Boellstorff
- Carter - ‘Cybercity’, a place to meet people, widen and strengthen social networks and relationships, positive effect on self-regard and identity.
- People free from their physical bodies and constraints - can choose identity and appearance; Rosenblatt and Tushnet
- Virtual communities allow people to present ‘better’ versions of themselves; Turkle
- Social networking sites - individuals create virtual profiles - Baudrillard calls this a simulacra, a mediated version of our identity; Durham and Kellner
- Feminists: in virtual communities women can transcend gender to focus on other aspects of their identity, becoming cyborgs; Haraway
- People can develop different aspects of their identity, we are all cyborgs; Case
- Access to people across the world may help with confidence in expressing identity, supporting women from ethnic minority backgrounds; Nakamura
- Interactionists: individuals give meaning to interactions within virtual communities, influencing identity and the presentation of self – Gardner & Davis
- Other reasonable response.
AO2: Application
In this question AO2 is awarded for use of source(s)
For example:
- Postmodern view: virtual communities have a positive impact on individual’s real and virtual identity (Source B)
- In virtual communities people can choose how they present themselves, i.e. their virtual identity (Source B).
- People can transform their identity regardless of gender, ethnicity, social class, age or disability. (Source B)
- Concerns about the effects of virtual communities on both individuals’ identities (Source B)
- Who controls the virtual communities and how are they regulated (Source B),
AO3: Analysis and Evaluation
Arguments against the view that virtual communities have a positive impact on people’s identity, may include:
- Recent concerns raised about young people who reveal mental health issues in virtual communities being encouraged to internalise harmful negative self - perceptions.
- Young people are becoming more narcissistic; Gardner & Davis
- The i-generation spend less time with friends and have higher levels of anxiety and loneliness; Twenge
- Cyberbullying has a negative effect on identity; Livingstone, Haddon, Vincent, Mascheroni and Olafsson, O’Keefe & Clarke Pearson
- We know less about people’s identity if we are unable to see facial expressions, intonation of voice etc.; Justice and Jamieson
- Virtual communities may be used illegitimately, for example grooming young people. Likely to negatively impact on identity for many years.
- Indirect, online communication is isolating; Turkle
- Feminists: those who create and control virtual communities more likely to be male, and the communities may reflect patriarchal attitudes reinforcing subordinate identities. Communities may also be a course of ‘gendered cyberhate’; Jane
- Other reasonable response.