On the Developmental Process of Online Identify Formation

So, some time ago, I attended a Continuing Education lecture for therapists about the impact of "technology" (i.e., cell-phones and the internet) on therapeutic practice. The most useful thing I got out of it was the concept of "digital immigrants" (people who grew up before use of computers etc. was widespread) and "digital natives" (people who grew up using computers etc.) (As coined by Marc Prensky in his 2001 article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants). The most interesting thing after that was to watch the roomful of therapists, where all the digital immigrants were saying "OMG TECHNOLOGY IS DESTROYING EVERYTHING HOW CAN WE STOP THIS MENACE?!?!?!?" and all the digital natives were saying, "so, what's the best way to deal with this dilemma that's come up due to my clients texting me?"

I enjoyed the lecture and discussion, but I also spent most of it lost in thought. So, I thought, technology is affecting us. We should bloody well update our theories to describe it, shouldn't we?

And what formed was, I think, a description of the stages of one common path of how senses of self, other, and identity develop online. What do you all think?

( Phase 1. Wide-open. )

( Phase 2. Oh shit, it's Mom! )

( Phase 3. Lock-down )

( Phase 4. Integration )

--R