A mini review on adolescent identity development and impact of social media on it

Abstract

A new setting for teenage identity development is social media. However, different definitions of social media involvement and different ideas of identity make it difficult to comprehend how social media use and identity formation are related. Research on the relationships between social media use, both in terms of quantity and quality, and several aspects of identity development, such as identity exploration and commitment, self-concept clarity, and identity distress, is summarized in this review. Twenty studies were included in the analysis after a database search. The results imply that increased identity exploration is linked to active social media use rather than time spent on the platform. Moreover, greater self-concept clarity is associated with authenticity in social media interactions rather than idealized self-presentation. Teens who compare themselves on social media also show higher degrees of identity discomfort and identity exploration. In general, the type of activities teenagers engage in on social media seems to have a greater impact on identity development than the length of time they spend using it.