New Media Studies

The New Generation and Identity Formation: The Role of Social Media in Identification Processes

mohammadreza hasani; fateme mohammadzade; hamide mohammadzade

Volume 11, Issue 42 , December 2025, , Pages 177-133

https://doi.org/10.22054/nms.2025.80522.1727

Abstract

Abstract With the emergence and proliferation of social media, identity has become a more fluid and fragmented phenomenon. As society and the family are no longer the sole determining ... Read More Abstract With the emergence and proliferation of social media, identity has become a more fluid and fragmented phenomenon. As society and the family are no longer the sole determining sources of identity, the processes of identity formation and identification, particularly among youth, are undergoing a significant transformation. This paper examines and analyzes youth identity and the identification process resulting from social media use. The study employed a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured in-depth interviews with 17 young individuals. The findings from the interviews, extracted and analyzed through thematic analysis, demonstrated four main themes: "value and belief gap," "media-oriented lifestyle," "problematization of the self," and "transformation of interactions." These were supported by twelve sub-themes: "transformation in religious beliefs and opinions," "transformation in political beliefs and opinions," "disinterest in domestic official media," "trend-driven living," "media-oriented interests and goals," "opportunity for freedom of action," "opportunity for self-reinvention," "context for pretense," "possibility of self-identification," "opportunity for identification with others," "formation of superficial friendships," and "decline of face-to-face interactions." According to the findings, the younger generation, under the influence of social media and confronted with a multitude of information and ideas, encounters diverse ways of answering the fundamental question of "who am I?" In this process of identification, they actively engage in identity-seeking, often navigating a fragmented and fluid sense of self. Extended Abstract: Introduction During the last century, extensive structural, functional, and semantic changes—driven by processes such as the emergence of modernity, the proliferation of information and communication technologies, and postmodern developments—have led to comprehensive and profound normative and value shifts in people's lifestyles. A concrete manifestation of this is the influence on youth, who are considered "the first adopters of new technologies" (Zimles, 2012, p. 4). They are particularly affected by the transformation of traditional conditions and frameworks surrounding identity and identification. Identity serves as a source of "meaning and experience" for members of society (Castells, 2001, p. 22) and is a necessary condition for social life; without it, "society will not exist" (Jenkins, 2002, pp. 8-9). In traditional societies, individual identity was formed and stabilized through an integrative semantic order that encompassed all societal groups. Today, however, the rise of self-awareness, stemming from the conditions and characteristics of modern life, has called previous conceptions of identity and the identification process into question. This has, in turn, created the foundation for diverse and ongoing processes of identity development and reproduction. In contemporary societies, particularly developing nations, one of the most significant issues confronting the new generation is that of identity and its evolving identification processes. These processes manifest diversely across life domains, including attitudes toward marriage, patterns of sexual interaction, religious beliefs, employment, lifestyle, and leisure time. From the perspective of social theorists such as Giddens and Castells, an individual's identity and their subsequent actions in society are a function of their sources for identity formation. Consequently, the primary distinction of the new generation, compared to previous ones, lies in the very process and sources of identification. This generation actively seeks to discover, construct, and sustain their identity. They cannot rely on an identity that is merely ascribed, inherited, or based on traditional status; instead, they forge a self-made identity. They have not passively accepted the identity assigned to them by society at birth and do not consider it their own. Objective: In the current research, identity is conceptualized as the experiences and meanings that individuals or groups derive in response to the question of "who they are." This sense of identity forms the basis for their distinctions from, and similarities with, others. This study specifically examines youth identity and the identification process as a consequence of social media use. In this regard, the research aims to answer the following questions: Research Questions: What are youths' perceptions of social media? What role does social media play in their identification processes and identity construction? How do youth represent themselves on social media as part of their identity-finding process? Methodology: Data were collected using a qualitative approach, employing semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and consisted of 17 youths (10 female, 7 male). The selection criteria required individuals to have at least three years of social media experience, maintain active accounts on a minimum of two platforms, and engage with them daily. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The thematic analysis of the interviews identified four main themes—"value and belief gap," "media-oriented lifestyle," "problematization of the self," and "transformation of interactions"—along with twelve supporting sub-themes. These sub-themes were: transformation in religious beliefs and opinions; transformation in political beliefs and opinions; disinterest in domestic official media; trend-driven living; media-oriented interests and goals; opportunity for freedom of action; opportunity for self-reinvention; context for pretense; possibility of identification with oneself; opportunity for identification with others; formation of superficial friendships; and the erosion of face-to-face interactions. Conclusion Based on the interview responses, the transformation and divergence in youth beliefs and values resulting from social media access play a major role in their re-evaluation of religious and political thought. This has led to a sense of detachment from traditional religious beliefs, fostering a selective, rather than adaptive, approach to religious and political identities and markers. Furthermore, the mediatization of various life aspects has created new imperatives for youth, particularly concerning lifestyle, to the extent that selecting a distinctive lifestyle has become a core component of their identity formation. Young people express their identity through lifestyle choices that are often media-oriented and diverge from prevailing societal values and norms. Furthermore, based on interviewees' statements, the restrictions, contradictions, and official norms in society make it difficult for youth to express themselves freely in real-world environments, including within the family. In contrast, social media provides a platform to achieve this self-expression, offering an opportunity for freedom of action, visibility, and self-reinvention, including self-idealization and identification with oneself and others. A significant finding from this research is a shift in youth interaction patterns, characterized by the formation of superficial friendships and a devaluation of face-to-face communication. According to the findings, the younger generation, influenced by media and confronted with a multitude of information and ideas, encounters diverse pathways for answering the fundamental question of "who am I?" In this process of identification, they actively engage in identity-seeking, navigating a fragmented and fluid sense of self.

The role of social network (Instagram) in the formation of citizenship identity(Case study of citizens, Isfahan city

Najmeh Karimian Talekhoncheh; Nafiseh Sadr Arahami; Akram Hamidian; Farahnaz Mostafavi Kohnegi

Volume 9, Issue 33 , May 2023, , Pages 492-455

https://doi.org/10.22054/nms.2022.67251.1382

Abstract

AbstractToday, the concept of citizenship as one of the concepts of the modern world guides sustainable human interactions. Citizenship represents the relationship between the individual ... Read More AbstractToday, the concept of citizenship as one of the concepts of the modern world guides sustainable human interactions. Citizenship represents the relationship between the individual and society in the form of rights and responsibilities. On the one hand, solving urban problems, urbanization crises and improving the behavior of citizens, the existence of a suitable culture of citizenship and urbanization, such as urban responsibility; Lawfulness of citizens, and normality are among the patterns of urbanization and these categories are among the necessities of urban life. So all the components of urban life, considering the role of culture in the social relations of the city, urban facilities, transportation system, the body of the city, and urban users, should try to create the necessary balance. The basic point in explaining the studies related to citizenship is that citizenship cannot be considered only from the perspective of law, or only from the perspective of the relationship between citizenship and the government, investigating the issue of identity, with the advancement of technology, it has found different ways to manifest itself. Currently, various services and applications allow their users to share their daily life and identity in different ways with their mobile phones. Since identity is a variable thing that changes during the social experience and with the formation of new communication methods, new social networks can build people's identities by providing new possibilities. But it seems that Instagram, as one of the largest virtual communities of Iranians, is an important identity-building tool that has led to the creation of an interactive space between users and has influenced their citizenship and national identity as a dynamic phenomenon. According to the statistics of the National Management Center for the Development of Modern Social Networks, more than half of the Iranian people have access to social networks, including Instagram. This capacity of communication and information created regarding modern social networks including Instagram has brought effects and consequences in the identity of Iranian citizens, including Isfahan city, and the basis of the form of the question at the beginning of the present research is: What role does the Instagram social network play? Do they play a role in the citizenship identity of the citizens of Isfahan City?ContextThe present research was done to determine the effect of using the Instagram social network on the citizenship identity of Isfahani citizens. This study was conducted among all citizens of Isfahan province and the impact of using social networks on citizenship identity was measured.GoalThe purpose of this study is to determine the effect of using the Instagram social network on the citizenship identity of Isfahani citizens.MethodThis research is practical in terms of purpose, descriptive in nature, correlational in terms of the relationship between research variables, and cross-sectional in terms of time. The statistical population of the present study includes all the citizens of Isfahan who are Instagram users in 2019. The sample size was 384 people according to the use of Cochran's unlimited formula. The sampling method in this research was available sampling. In order to collect data, the citizen identity questionnaire of Sadr Arahami et al. was used and the content validity of the questionnaires was confirmed by the supervisor and several subject experts, and the face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by several members of the statistical community. The reliability of the questionnaires was calculated using Cronbach's alpha for the Instagram social network usage questionnaire (α = 0.799) and for the citizenship identity questionnaire (α = 0.847). In order to investigate research hypotheses, descriptive and inferential statistics including Pearson's correlation coefficient, structural equations with SPSS software were used.FindingsIn the present research, Meh was conducted to investigate the impact of the social network (Instagram) on the citizenship identity of the citizens of Isfahan City. The results of the research showed that there is a significant relationship between the use of the Instagram social network on the enjoyment of the citizenship rights of Isfahani citizens and also the use of the Instagram social network has an effect on the self-identity of Isfahani citizens. There is a significant relationship between the use of the Instagram social network and the citizenship awareness of Isfahani citizens, and the use of the Instagram social network has an effect on the priority of collective interests over individual citizens of Isfahani. There is a relationship between the use of the Instagram social network and the civic commitment to the country and the citizens of Isfahan.ResultsThe results of the research showed that there is a significant relationship between the use of the social network Instagram and the enjoyment of citizenship rights, and the use of the social network Instagram has a significant positive effect on our identity. The use of the social network Instagram on civil commitment with a level of confidence of 95% has a positive effect; therefore, there is a significant relationship between the use of the Instagram social network and citizenship identity with a confidence level of 95%

Cultural Orientations in Cyberspace; Surveying the Quantity and Manner Through Which Students Use Cyberspace

ali mohebbi; Ali Asghar Kia

Volume 6, Issue 24 , January 2021, , Pages 164-135

https://doi.org/10.22054/nms.2021.54235.1020

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between social media use and cultural change in the four domains of "social capital", "religious beliefs", "individualization" ... Read More

Analysis of Iranian Cult Movies:The Study of Cultists of Five Selected Iranian Cult from50s until 80s

Farnam Moradi Nejad; marzieh piravi vanak; Ahmad Alasti

Volume 5, Issue 20 , January 2020, , Pages 81-112

https://doi.org/10.22054/nms.2020.38319.645

Abstract

The definition of cult movies as "sometimes deserted films which have so –called serious fans and followers who never forget their beloved bed-movie during the time and Repeatedly ... Read More

The effect of Virtual space on ethnic and national identity in Iran

mahdokht boroujerdi; Amir Saeed Sadigh

Volume 3, Issue 12 , January 2017, , Pages 88-110

https://doi.org/10.22054/cs.2018.12319.67

Abstract

The effects of new media, which expand Virtual space, on thinking and identity of the audiences at ethnic and national levels, are among most controversial issues about which numerous ... Read More

Representation of Privacy in Social Media:Ethnography of the Iranian Facebook Users

Abdollah Bicharanlou; Hamed Talebian; Sarah Zandevakili

Volume 1, Issue 1 , April 2015, , Pages 69-96

https://doi.org/10.22054/cs.2015.4502

Abstract

This study attempted to understand the features and factors associated with representation of privacy among the Facebook users and its cultural consequences. To achieve this goal, first, ... Read More

Articles in Press

Current Issue

Volume 11 (2025)

Volume 10 (2024)

Volume 9 (2023)

Volume 8 (2022)

Volume 7 (2021)

Volume 6 (2020)

Volume 5 (2019)

Volume 4 (2018)

Volume 3 (2017)

Volume 2 (2016)

Volume 1 (2015)

Keywords = Identity

The New Generation and Identity Formation: The Role of Social Media in Identification Processes

Abstract

The role of social network (Instagram) in the formation of citizenship identity(Case study of citizens, Isfahan city

Abstract

Cultural Orientations in Cyberspace; Surveying the Quantity and Manner Through Which Students Use Cyberspace

Abstract

Analysis of Iranian Cult Movies:The Study of Cultists of Five Selected Iranian Cult from50s until 80s

Abstract

The effect of Virtual space on ethnic and national identity in Iran

Abstract

Representation of Privacy in Social Media:Ethnography of the Iranian Facebook Users

Abstract