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Filtered Identities: A Digitally Active Mid-Adolescent’s Identity Construction in Social Networking Spaces
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Campbell, T. Mark |
| Copyright Year | 2015 |
| Abstract | Teens, including young teens, are using digital tools, including social networking sites at a rapidly growing pace (Madden, Lenhart, & Duggan, 2013). However, few studies have addressed the social networking practices of young teens. In this study, I attempted to address a gap in the current literature by investigating the online identity construction of a 14 year-old female who avidly participated on social networking sites. The purpose of this study was to examine a mid-adolescent‟s use of social networking and what this use might reveal about her identity construction. The following questions guided the research: • What are a mid-adolescent‟s thoughts as she decides what to post on social networking sites to represent herself? • What do the tools and social practices she uses reveal about her online identity construction? • What kinds of identities does she present on social networking sites? This study was grounded in a sociocultural understanding of language, particularly that language and thought are culturally derived (Vygotsky, 1986) constructs that shape and are shaped by human activity (Cole, 2003; Wertsch, 1991). Through a sociocultural view of identity, I recognized that identity is a social construct in which mid-adolescents often experience conflict (Harter, 2012) as they try to integrate a fragmented, or “kaleidoscopic” (p. 94) sense of self into a cohesive sense of self. I used a qualitative single case study design (Merriam, 2009) to investigate the social networking practices of the participant. Data collection included semi-structured interviews; think-aloud verbal protocols while using social networking sites; informal phone or instant messaging interactions between the participant and researcher; participant and researcher journals; and participant‟s posts to social networking sites. Using a systematic recursive qualitative method (LeCompte, 2000) informed by Saldaña‟s (2009) coding recommendations, I found that the participant adhered to perceived online social conventions and used a variety of digital literacy tools to present socially acceptable filtered identities across three Social Networking Sites (SNS). Findings suggest that a mid-adolescent would benefit from opportunities to use digital communication skills in school to present an academic identity in school-related online spaces. |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=mse_diss |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=mse_diss&httpsredir=1&referer= |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
