Beyond Self-Reporting: Social Identity Mapping and the Argument for Objective Markers of Self

This paper will review the evolution of Social Identity Mapping as a potential theoretical and analytical framework for interpreting complex online behaviours. It will commence with an exploration of the evolution and utility of social identity mapping, before critically examining the application of social identity mapping in empirical research, both online and in person. It will conclude by presenting an argument for the ability to, and need for, objective markers of the self to be developed as a mechanism for understanding multiple salient social identities, across multiple online platforms, in a manner that is generalisable to a range of Contexts.