Examining virtual identity profiles of social network users with respect to certain variables

Abstract

In the present study, a measurement tool was developed to determine the virtual identities of social network users, and the virtual identities of these social network users were examined with respect to gender, time spent on social networks, number of their social network profiles and visibility using the relational survey model. The study was carried out with a total of 671 social network users, 252 females and 419 males. The research data were collected using the Social Network Identity Management Scale developed within the scope of the study. The five-point Likert-type scale made up of four factors and 23 items was found to explain 55.29 % of the total variance (Cronbach Alpha =.93). At the end of the research process, a 23-item Social Network Identity Management Scale’s validity and reliability were confirmed. The finding obtained in the study demonstrated that the virtual identities of the users with more than one profile differed within the context of such sub-dimensions of the scale as liking and privacy. In addition, it was found that the changes in the virtual identities increased depending on the time spent on social networks.