Assignment 7, Option 2: Friend of a Friend

I figured that Facebook would be a good place to test out the Brunswikian Lens Model to assess someone’s personality. When deciding what profile to analyze, I decided not to look at the profiles of people I know well, or who go to Cornell. To be an independent observer, I analyzed the profile of a friend of a friend. I have never spoken with this person, so I was able to analyze her profile objectively.

Examples of self-identity claims are found in the basic information. Listing “conservative” under Political Views, “men” under Interested In, or certain things in the Interests and About Me sections tell about the individual and reinforces her views. Listing a friend’s name under Interests and About me shows that this girl is agreeable. She has a close friend whom she gets along with very well. This is probably also an inside joke between the two of them. Thus, not only does this increase perceived agreeableness, but it is also a self-identity claim asserting that she enjoys humor.

Groups, Friends, and Applications are other-identity claims. Adding the Yankees Faithful application shows everyone she is a Yankee fan. Her groups tell Facebook users that she likes Family Guy, the New York Giants, and her hometown. That a lot of her groups seem to be based around friends and/or inside jokes is more evidence of her agreeableness. The number of identity claims she has on her profile speaks to her high level of openness. Some of these claims do not reveal such intimate information, but she still reveals a lot about herself. Additionally, membership in groups supporting the fight against breast cancer, and showing sympathy to the students of Virginia Tech after last year’s shooting, show conscientiousness. We don’t know of her actions in support of these causes, but her awareness and desire to reach out to others show conscientiousness.

While nobody can be in Facebook, the Mini-Feed is as close to interior behavioral residue as Facebook can get. Her list of Friends added and Friends whose walls she has recently posted on shows her agreeableness even more.

Facebook photos, especially those put up by other users, are good examples of exterior behavioral residue. This girl’s pictures show her with a lot of friends, making funny faces, and striking funny poses. This suggests that she is very extraverted. These pictures also display more proof of her agreeableness.

Overall, I saw no signs of neuroticism, so I would say this person ranks very low in that category. From the profile elements I mentioned above, however, I would rate her high in extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.

The Brunswikian Lens Model is a good way to analyze people’s personalities because it covers a lot of different forms of self-expression.


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