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Cited by 1,698Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and IdentificationDigital Marketing and Social MediaConsumer Retail Behavior Studies

Extended Self in a Digital World: Table 1.

Belk, Russell W.·2013·Journal of Consumer Research
DOI 10.1086/671052
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Abstract

The extended self was proposed in 1988. Since it was formulated, many technological changes have dramatically affected the way we consume, present ourselves, and communicate. This conceptual update seeks to revitalize the concept, incorporate the impacts of digitization, and provide an understanding of consumer sense of self in today's technological environment. It is necessarily a work in progress, for the digital environment and our behavior within it continue to evolve. But some important changes are already clear. Five changes with digital consumption are considered that impact the nature of self and the nature of possessions. Needed modifications and additions to the extended self are outlined, and directions for future research are suggested. The digital world opens a host of new means for self-extension, using many new consumption objects to reach a vastly broader audience. Even though this calls for certain reformulations, the basic concept of the extended self remains vital.

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Crossref · 10.1086/671052

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214 of 214 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The way consumers consider online actions as relevant to their offline selves may be changing.

    “Drawing on the extended self in the digital age (Belk 2013), the way consumers consider online actions as relevant to their offline selves may be changing.”

    From The future of social media in marketing (2020) · cites this paper as Belk 2013

  • Consumer researchers have shown how digital environments extend the self and reshape identity construction.

    “Consumer researchers have also shown how digital environments extend the self and reshape identity construction (Belk, 2013).”

    From Marketing to the Machine: Rethinking Global Marketing for the AI Era (2026) · cites this paper as Belk, 2013

  • Consumer culture theory takes meaning and identity seriously yet treats the machine as a backdrop to consumption, not as an active participant in the choice architecture.

    “Consumer culture theory takes meaning and identity seriously (Arnould & Thompson, 2005;Belk, 2013) yet still treats the machine as a backdrop to consumption not as an active participant in the choice architecture.”

    From Marketing to the Machine: Rethinking Global Marketing for the AI Era (2026) · cites this paper as Belk, 2013

  • At the actor level, hybrid human-AI configurations reshape how preferences emerge.

    “At the actor level, hybrid human-AI configurations reshape how preferences emerge, extending prior work on the extended self in digital environments (Belk, 2013) and algorithmic consumer culture (Airoldi & Rokka, 2022).”

    From Marketing to the Machine: Rethinking Global Marketing for the AI Era (2026) · cites this paper as Belk, 2013

  • Consumers may seamlessly switch between physical and virtual products, artifacts, and environments, and the differences between the virtual self and the physical self may blur.

    “Furthermore, consumers may seamlessly switch between physical and virtual products, artifacts, and environments, and the differences between the virtual self (in the form of a user's avatar) and the physical self may blur (Belk, 2013).”

    From Metaverse beyond the hype: Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy (2022) · cites this paper as Belk, 2013

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Authors
Belk, R. W.
Corresponding author
Belk, Russell W.
ORCID
Belk, Russell W.
Venue
Journal of Consumer Research
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2013-10-01
Volume
40
Issue
3
Pages
477-500
ISSN
  • 0093-5301 (ISSN-L)
  • 1537-5277
DOI
10.1086/671052
OpenAlex
W2154467650
Cited by
1,698
References
218
Citations by year
2026: 191 · 2025: 181 · 2024: 164 · 2023: 137 · 2022: 128 · 2021: 149 · 2020: 163 · 2019: 157 · 2018: 130 · 2017: 95 · 2016: 96 · 2015: 72 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 9
FWCI
200.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Journal of Consumer Research (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Marketing and Social Media
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Consumer Retail Behavior Studies
Keywords
extended self, consumer self-concept, digitization, digital consumption, self-extension, self-presentation, digital communication

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