Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• mohammadreza hasani ¹
• fateme mohammadzade ²
• hamide mohammadzade ³

¹ Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran

² Ph.D. Student in Sociology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

³ Ph.D. Student in Cultural Sociology, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

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 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.

Keywords

• Identity
• identification
• youth
• social media
• fluidity

Main Subjects

• Studies of cyberspace and social networks