Possessions and self extension in digital environments: implications for maintaining personal information

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This research explores individuals' relationships with their personal digital information through the concepts of digital possessions and self extension. Two studies were conducted. In the first study, twenty-three participants were interviewed about their definitions of digital possessions and digital legacies, and about their connections to their personal digital information. In the second study, forty-eight participants were asked to conduct three Q sorting tasks in order to gain a better understanding of their thoughts and opinions regarding self extension to digital possessions and maintaining digital possessions for a digital legacy. Findings revealed that digital possessions: 1) provide evidence about the individual, 2) represent the individual's identity, 3) are recognized by the individual as having value and, 4) provide a sense of bounded control. Self extension to digital possessions exists on a multilayered spectrum consisting of the characteristics of self extension to possessions, possession attachment, and use. Finally, participants used archival logic when maintaining digital possessions, preferring characteristics that describe primary and/or secondary values of digital possessions. Results have implications for the tools, strategies, and methods archival professionals use when helping people create and maintain digital legacies.

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... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Information and Library Science.

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