Investigating reasons and effects of adolescents’ online identity construction on Weibo
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62051/7ae4he43Keywords:
Sina Weibo, Adolescents, Online identity construction.Abstract
This study explores the reasons why adolescents construct online identities on social media as well as exploring the positive and negative impacts that these constructed online identities may have. Focusing upon Sina Weibo users, participants’ online data was collected in order to analyse the types of online identity adolescents construct. Interviews were then conducted in order to further explore the reasons behind, and effects of, said construction. The results of the study indicate that the reasons why adolescents construct online identities on Weibo are related to their own social needs, a sense of achievement, self-worth, and sense of belonging within a group, as well as imitating celebrity identities to gain attention, traffic, and money. Their online identities, to some extent, not only help them become more confident and relieve stress but recognize their own strengths and cultivate positive values. However, at the same time, some online identities have led to issues such as confusion between adolescents’ real-life and online identities, information and cultural ‘bubbles’, and negative behaviours caused by the pursuit of attention and online traffic. Accordingly, future research should aim to help adolescents construct rational identities, to maximize the positive impacts of online identities, and to reduce negative impacts.
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