@inproceedings{2fec8d84410d45639c047be478832e29,
title = "Measuring Trends in Identity Transition Using Social Media Bios: A Methodology and Proof of Concept",
abstract = "“Social Identity Theory” is one of the most influential ideas in social science, but identity is notoriously difficult to operationalize and observe. In a previous project, we introduced a method for studying identity at massive scale by longitudinally observing a close proxy: social media bios. Here, we discuss a new variation on the method, which focuses on identity transitions: the amendment of an identity following a particular event. We illustrate the method through a test case taken from millions of Twitter bios from 2015–2023: patterns in the addition and deletion of the acronym “MAGA” (“Make America Great Again”). We show that certain categories of bio words at one time point can predict the addition of “MAGA” at a later point. We also examine the sorts of words that tended to replace “MAGA” when users amended their bios following the insurrection of January 6th, 2021. Finally, we discuss potential future applications of the method, focusing on the topic of “stigma exits.”",
keywords = "Identity Transition, Political Identity, Social Identity, Social Media, Stigma Exit",
author = "Nick Rogers and Jones, \{Jason J.\}",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.; 18th International Conference on Social Computing, Behavioral-Cultural Modeling and Prediction and Behavior Representation in Modeling and Simulation, SBP-BRiMS 2025 ; Conference date: 14-10-2025 Through 17-10-2025",
year = "2026",
doi = "10.1007/978-3-032-07715-8\_3",
language = "English",
isbn = "9783032077141",
series = "Lecture Notes in Computer Science",
publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",
pages = "24--33",
editor = "Robert Thomson and Pyke, \{Aryn A\} and Scott Renshaw and Patrick Park and Samer Al-khateeb and Annetta Burger",
booktitle = "Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Modeling - 18th International Conference, SBP-BRiMS 2025, Proceedings",
}