Option 2: Brunswikian Model

The Brunswikian Lens Model allows one to asses someone’s personality from an online space. The two main components of this model are functional achievement and Individual-environmental links. Functional achievement is obtained by considering cue validity and cue utilization. Cue validity relates to the target’s personality. Cue utilization occurs when one selects certain environmental cues to make judgments. The effect of both of these lead to functional achievement, in which an accurate inference is creates. Individual-environmental links is composed of four mechanisms. Two terms to be familiar with are identity claims, which are things you purposely do to remind others of your identity, and behavioral residue, which are things you have done that demonstrate it.

The Brunswikian Lens Model can be illustrated by looking at a Facebook profile. The first mechanism involved is called self-directed identity claims. These claims are personal statements one makes that reinforce how he or she views themselves. The part of facebook that allows one to record interests and activities is an area where people are able to display characteristics they feel they possess. My friends profile shows interests that all maintain a common theme of being a carefree, easy going person. Whether or not this is true is not known, but what is known is that my friend feels she possess these characteristics. A second mechanism is other-directed identity claims. These claims are statements one makes to reinforce how others view them. One area where this is illustrated online is in the groups that my friend joined. She is part of a group in support of Darfur, and also one that supports registering to vote. Other people may look at these groups and think that my friend is active in the community and strongly supports her beliefs. The third mechanism is interior behavioral residue which reflect upon past and future behaviors according to the current space. The Newsfeed on Facebook updates automatically as my friend changes aspects of her Facebook profile. I see her newsfeed updates about once every two days, so I would conclude that she isn’t an “intense facebooker”. The final mechanism is exterior behavioral residue, which reflections upon behaviors not related to the current space. Photos on Facebook show events that occur spaces other than facebook, which correlates well to this concept. Her photos mostly consist of hanging out with the same group of five girls in various environments.

From looking at my friend’s facebook profile, I can make some conclusions about her personality. I don’t think she is a neurotic person, since she isn’t an avid facebook participant. She isn’t extroverted because she enjoys hanging out with friends in a variety of situations. I do believe she is conscientious because I know that she does untag pictures that she thinks she doesn’t look good in. From her groups, she is agreeable and very open-minded person and encourages others to be open-minded as well.