Digital Youth Identity Chapter 4

Digital Youth Identity Chapter 4

• Identity construction is a significant adolescent developmental task.
• Identity is a complex concept with different interpretations across various fields (psychology, sociology, anthropology, philosophy) and cultures.
• Identity is, at least partially, an explicit theory of oneself as a person. Key questions include "who am I?", "where do I belong?", and "where am I headed?".
• Erikson's theory posits that adolescence is a period of psychosocial moratorium, allowing individuals to explore various roles and identities to achieve ego identity. This involves integrating accumulated experiences, skills, talents, and social roles into a unified identity. Vocational goals, ideological values, and sexual identity are important components.
• Marcia's theory adds that identity is a process. Exploration and commitment are crucial for identity development. Identity statuses are:
• Foreclosed: Commitment without exploration, often stemming from authority figures; rigid and conformist.
• Identity diffusion: Lack of exploration and commitment. Easily influenced by peers; often change opinions and behavior.
• Moratorium: Exploration of identity without commitment. May experience anxiety and doubts, attempting new roles.
• Identity achievement: Both exploration and commitment are present. Positive self-image, flexible, and independent.
• Identity exploration is influenced by pubertal status, family interactions (functioning, communication styles), and peer influences. Mutual friends tend to share similar identity characteristics.
• McAdams emphasizes that identity is an ongoing, dynamic process in a postmodern context, expressed through narratives about the self. These narratives consider the individual's past, present, and future, reflecting themes of agency (achievement, mastery,) and communion (relationships with others).
• Aspects of identity include personal (self-assessment, self-reflection), social (feelings of belonging), gender (roles and influence on identity development), and ethnic (sense of membership, associated attitudes and feelings ).
• Online identity can have two meanings:
• Digital representation: User's online profile, history, and avatar. Can differ across platforms and accounts.
• Psychological sense: Individual's internal thoughts, ideas, and feelings about their online selves.
• Online self-presentation involves the methods individuals use to present themselves to others. This includes factors such as anonymity and privacy.
• Tools for online self-presentation include user names, avatars, and photos/videos.
• Identity exploration is facilitated by online platforms.

Adolescent Online Identity Construction

• The internet offers anonymity and relative safety for identity exploration.

• Online self-presentation varies across platforms (anonymous vs. less anonymous).

• Personalization is key (nicknames, personal interests), avatars, and photos/videos reflecting the user.

• Blogs and homepages act as expressions of identity decisions and self-presentation.

• Different age groups use platforms differently (younger teens focus on profiles; older consider site style).

• Online platforms can influence identity development; expressing or adopting a desired identity.

• Online behavior relates to Marcia's identity statuses:

• Foreclosed: May experiment more than in reality; often follow parent's expectations. (Potential for offline identity shift).

• Identity diffusion: Online platform might be safe haven for expressing or breaking social norms without consequences

• Moratorium: More willing to break rules; experiment more online than offline; explore and clarify values.

• Identity achievement: The potential for experimentation exists.

• Online identity exploration involves presenting aspects of themselves, seeking feedback, forming narratives, and searching for connections.

• Ethnic identity is also formed online, potentially increasing exposure to positive and negative experiences.

• Social identity in online contexts (roles, groups) shape identity.

• Avatars are often more meaningful than offline selves for some users.

• Adolescents may pretend or lie online. This is more common in chat rooms.

• Pretending can have various motivations, such as attempting to project a certain image, overcome shyness, or explore different roles.

• Virtual identities involve feelings of belonging to virtual groups, slang, and skills.

• Research suggests both positive and negative influences of virtual identities on offline lives.

• Identity experimentation is widespread, especially among younger teens. Online contexts allow for more exploration without immediate offline consequences

Conclusions

• Online environments are important spaces for identity exploration, expression, and co-construction.
• Online identity development involves presenting and testing different aspects of self.
• More research is needed to fully understand the impact of online identity construction on long-term development.
• Online and offline lives are connected and intertwined.