Algorithmic Alienation: A Theoretical Examination of the Digital Self
Algorithmic Alienation: A Theoretical Examination of the Digital Self

Summary/Abstract: With the pervasive integration of digital technologies into all aspects of life, profound transformations have occurred in core psychological processes such as decision-making, identity construction, and self-perception. These transformations are multilayered and cannot be solely explained by the frequency of technology use; instead, they are closely related to how algorithms shape individuals’ digital behaviors. This paper presents a theoretical framework for algorithmic alienation, which has not yet been sufficiently defined in the literature. This study aims to explain how algorithms shape individuals’ experiences in digital environments and how this process leads to alienation regarding selfhood, freedom, and decision-making mechanisms. The concept was initially introduced in a qualitative study by Kanbay et al., and it is developed here with its theoretical foundations. Algorithmic alienation is discussed across four key dimensions: the weakening of the perception of freedom, identity ambiguity, the erosion of decision-making mechanisms, and emotional alienation. This review distinguishes algorithmic alienation from similar concepts such as digital addiction, burnout, and surveillance capitalism and analyzes its psychological, cognitive, and social effects in a multidimensional manner. In conclusion, algorithmic alienation is proposed as a unique and holistic theoretical construct that explains how individuals in the digital age become alienated from themselves, their choices, and their sense of self.

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