Self extension and the desire to preserve digital possessions

Developed from psychology and sociology, the concept of self extension means that an individuals' concept of his or her own self can extend outside the body (Belk, ). While studies in the context of consumer behavior have explored many applications of self extension to material objects, self extension to digital objects has yet to be explored. Further, self extension to possessions can influence behavior and may therefore influence maintaining behavior , or the actions associated with saving or personal information for the long term. This pilot study uses Q method to explore the extension of self to digital possessions and the implications for maintaining digital possessions for the long term.