Digital Distributed Selves: Reconceptualizing Personhood in the Age of Social Media

Abstract

This article introduces the concept of "digital distributed personhood" as a theoretical framework for understanding how digital technologies and social media are reshaping experiences of selfhood across cultures. Drawing on recent work in psychological anthropology and digital ethnography, we argue that personhood in the digital age is increasingly characterized by multiplicity, networked relationality, algorithmic co-construction, digital embodiment, temporal flexibility, and cultural hybridity. Through an analysis of ethnographic case studies from diverse cultural contexts, we demonstrate how this framework manifests in everyday life. The article challenges traditional anthropological models of bounded, stable personhood and proposes a more dynamic understanding that accounts for the complex interplay between individuals, digital platforms, and cultural contexts. We discuss implications for psychological anthropology, including the need to rethink fundamental assumptions about self, identity, and social relationships in light of digital realities. The article concludes by suggesting directions for future research, emphasizing the importance of longitudinal and cross- cultural studies, developmental perspectives, and investigations into the mental health implications of digital distributed personhood.