Then, we consider selfies as a type of dynamic art form. We begin with some observations on the extent of selfie-taking in contemporary culture as well as its evolution. After describing our ethnographic and netnographic method, we investigate the museum selfie phenomenon. We also explore the contextual effects of mimicry and social norms. We also question the ability of the museum selfie to destabilize. We relate embodiment within the museum to the selfieās performative acts and expand upon notions that emphasize and distinguish the aesthetic elements present in many aspects of everyday life. We use concepts of identity work, dramaturgy, and impression management to understand it in this light. First, we explore theory salient to our topic of selfie taking, finding selfies to be an important way to construct ongoing series of narratives about the self. We focus on the context of museums, places where art, history, education, and culture merge into the selfie taking behaviors of patrons. Our investigation seeks to contribute to a holistic, contextualized and cultural perspective.
Much extant psychological research on selfies has taken a pathologizing view of the phenomenon, focusing on its relationship to narcissism. Selfies, digital images characterized by the desire to frame the self in a picture taken to be shared with an online audience, are important reflections of the contemporary self. 2Laboratory for Intelligent Systems in Tourism, Los Angeles, CA, USA.1Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.Robert Kozinets 1, Ulrike Gretzel 1* and Anja Dinhopl 2