title: The Identity Mapping Project: Demographic differences in patterns of distributed identity.
abstract: The advent of cloud computing and a multi-platform digital environment is giving rise to a new phase of human identity called "The Distributed Self." In this conception, aspects of the self are distributed into a variety of 2D and 3D digital personas with the capacity to reflect any number of combinations of now malleable personality traits. In this way, the source of human identity remains internal and embodied, but the expression or enactment of the self becomes increasingly external, disembodied, and distributed on demand. The Identity Mapping Project (IMP) is an interdisciplinary collaboration between psychology and computer Science designed to empirically investigate the development of distributed forms of identity. Methodologically, it collects a large database of "identity maps" - computerized graphical representations of how active someone is online and how their identity is expressed and distributed across 7 core digital domains: email, blogs/personal websites, social networks, online forums, online dating sites, character based digital games, and virtual worlds. The current paper reports on gender and age differences in online identity based on an initial database of distributed identity profiles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Loyola Marymount University.
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Loyola Marymount University.
authors.forename: John David N
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Dionisio
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forney
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Loyola Marymount University.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002605:Character; D000067917:Cloud Computing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003195:Computer Communication Networks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003196:Computer Graphics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004532:Ego; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D000070516:Intersectoral Collaboration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009862:Online Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D060756:Social Networking; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014600:Utilization Review; D055815:Young Adult