Effects of Cyberspace to Personal Identity

Abstract

Information technologies increasingly pervade life, providing the ability to escape from the everydaylife by creating virtual identity. The Internet has long ago gone beyond the limits of the communication medium, and thanks to the exponential development of computer technology has become a social space that meets two basic, existential needs, the need for interpersonal contact and the need for belonging toa community. Social networks, as the psychological space, have undoubtedly influenced the offline identities, everyday habits and behavior of people, holding out the possibility of users to show more perfect image of themselves. However, regardless of the technological development, the Internet asopposed to the physical world can not provide users sensory fullness, who are yet rushing towards it.There is no doubt there are indications that the cyber sphere influences the reduction of personal responsibility that cyberspace implies, and entails a series of psychological and behavioral effects. Inthis study, we have examined the effects of online identity on the offline identity, especially with regardto use of the Internet with change of behavior and user attitudes, with exceed communication barrier ininterpersonal contacts, with reduction of tensions and level of self-confidence.

Keywords

• cyberspace
• personal identity
• virtual identity
• behaviour
• self-confidence