Social Media and Identity Formation: Content Analysis of Movie “Eighth Grade”

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v5n2.p385-408

Keywords:

identity development, social media, content analysis, eight grade, deindividuation

Abstract

Movie is regarded as a visual medium that offers a comprehensive presentation of a phenomenon in a defined time. This study employed a qualitative method to provide an interpretive paradigm on the movie titled “Eighth Grade” (directed by Bo Burnham, 2018). It aims to understand the massive role of the use of social media in shaping the identity of young people. The content analysis of movie “Eighth Grade” was carried out by considering abstraction, explication, and structuring. To understand this phenomenon, this study employed Luyckx's perspective on identity formation theory and the social identity model of deindividuation effect. The results of the research showed that the movie "Eighth Grade" vividly described the process of identity formation in a sequential and comprehensive manner, as well as showcased the occurrence of deindividuation processes in social media activities. It Is suggested that to construct a healthy identity, digital activities should complement offline activities, not replace them.

Author Biographies

Rustono Farady Marta, Universitas Bunda Mulia, Jakarta

Rustono Farady Marta (FRAD) is a visiting assistant professor at the Faculty of Psychology at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia and Head of Masters Degree of Communication Science Department at Bunda Mulia University. His research interest on identity and media studies as one of masterpiece PhD of Communication Science at Universitas Indonesia. He also focus in development of scientific journal by Indonesian Communication Science Journal Publishers Association (APJIKI);

Hana Rochani G. Panggabean, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta

Hana Panggabean is a professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, in Jakarta. She has been working on research topics on culture and psychology in organizational settings for more than 20 years. Her working experiences include extensive years with developmental research projects and consultancies focusing on local cultures and group behavior.

Changsong Wang, Xiamen University Malaysia

Changsong Wang
is a lecturer at the Department of Journalism and Advertising, Xiamen University Malaysia, Malaysia. He received his undergraduate degree from Soochow University, China. He holds Master of Communication and Ph.D. of Communication from University Sains Malaysia (USM). His research interests include Media and Culture, Communication and Media Studies, Cinema Studies, Film Studies, Film Genre, Youth Culture, Social Media and Crisis Communication, Community Communication.

References

Barna. 2020. The Connected Generation. California: Barna Group.

Burnham, B. 2018. Eighth Grade. USA: A24 Film.

Erikson, Erik. 1994. Identity, Youth and Crisis. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

Hootsuite. 2020. Digital Indonesia 2020. Jakarta.

Mayring, Philipp. 2014. Qualitative Content Analysis: Theoretical Foundation, Basic Procedures and Software Solution. Klagenfurt: Gesis.

Ryan, M., and E. Deci. 2017. Self-Determination Theory. New York: The Guilford Press.

Wang, C. (2016). Fictional portrayals of young people in Chinese and American juvenile delinquency films: A comparative study. Media Watch, 7 (1), doi: 92-104. 10.15655/mw/2016/v7i1/86494

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Published

2021-10-30

How to Cite

Herawati, H., Marta, R. F., Panggabean, H. R. G., & Wang, C. (2021). Social Media and Identity Formation: Content Analysis of Movie “Eighth Grade”. The Journal of Society and Media, 5(2), 385–408. https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v5n2.p385-408

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2021): The Influence of Media in Society Life

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2021 The Journal of Society and Media

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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