This conceptual article revisits the extended self—a foundational idea in consumer research that possessions become part of one’s identity—and adapts it for digital contexts. Belk argues that digital artifacts (such as avatars, online profiles, digital media, and even data traces) function as possessions that people use to express and construct identity in online environments. The digital world broadens the range and scale of extensions of self by introducing new kinds of possessions that are interactive, shareable, persistent, and networked. Belk identifies key ways digital consumption changes the nature of self‑identity and outlines directions for future research on material and virtual possessions, including virtual goods, self‑presentation online, and the psychological meaning of digital ownership.
From Journal of Consumer Research via ResearchGate