Reflections on One’s Own Body : An Approach to the Potential of Self-Image in HCI

Abstract: Self-image and the way we present ourselves to the world are highly relevant in today’s society, fostered to some extent by the ubiquitous use of technology. For example, the idealized body image that is disseminated in the media and on social networks can affect the relationship we have with ourselves. Beyond the idyllic images promoted by external agents, there is a personal aspect that also defines who we are and how we relate to our environment; that is self-fashioning, a constant self-driven, ameliorative change in accordance to the ideals promoted by somaesthetics. In line with this approach, our bodies could be understood as spaces for self-design to increase somaesthetic appreciation, both of ourselves and the world. This thesis discusses some early considerations for the development of self-fashioning technologies and the exploration of the design space. By conducting a soma-oriented workshop and a subsequent first-person exploration, I introduce a set of design features that might be addressed when devising embodied artifacts. They highlight the importance of "constant becoming," a situated ongoing process that shapes us, arguing that technologies for self-fashioning should support it.