Identità digitale e narrazione di sé nell’era del web

The present exploratory study aims at investigating the modalities of defining identity construction through the narrative productions of undergraduate studentsin a virtual community built for this purpose. Participants’ productionswere analyzed both in regard to recurrent discussion themes and to identity positioning.Analyses revealed that, while keeping anonymity, users were willing toprovide information about their personal relationships and professional/academiccareers, thus disclosing aspects of their offline real life. In addition to constanthints about career development, conversations were rich in references tointerpersonal relationships and in narrations regarding people whom participantsconsidered fundamental in their personal growth process. The virtualcontext seems to be perceived as an extension of the daily life one, with a sharingof meanings that goes beyond offline acquaintance among users.