Natiiv

Twitter Lists & Johari Windows

Tagged johari , lists , psychology , socialmedia , twitter

Are Twitter Lists really just Johari Windows?

When I was on the executive board of the Residence Hall Association in the late 90s, our advisor had us to a team building exercise one winter. Each member of the board was given a list of 50-100 characteristics and told to assign 8-10 to each person on the board and also to make a list for ourselves.

After each person made our lists, we passed them to the person the list described. So we each sat with the list we created about ourselves and the lists people created about us. Then we were directed to put the words into a table with four quadrants seen to the side.

The goal was to make us aware if our perceptions of self matched up to the perceptions that others have of us. It also highlighted the things that others know about us that we aren't aware of.

Twitter Lists, a new feature rolling out on Twitter, reminds me of that exercise. I wish I'd made a list of how I thought people would categorize me before I looked at what lists I'm showing up on. Social Media, music, Jewish and Chicago would have been my guess. Surprising to me is that I've also been put on lists of venture capitalists and Tel Aviv. Also surprising to me was how rarely I was showing up on the lists people make of Jews.

I've learned that I am not someone people turn to for talking religion, but for information about Chicago and Social Media - yes. I'm not interested in the numbers and popularity game that lists are already turning into, but I do find it interesting to see how other perceive us.

UPDATE: Ian was right to point out that the exercise I was referring to is Johari Windows. I'd forgotten that the exercise was based in something other than an idea our advisor had. How are Twitter Lists acting as a Johari Window for you?