Dual Identities in Virtual and Real Space based on the Lived Experiences of Teenagers; Thematic analysis

Subject Areas : Journal of Educational Psychology

Behjat Shahabi Anbaran ¹ , Ali Jafari ² , Shahnaz Hashemi ³ , mMohammad Soltanifar ⁴

1 - Ph.D. student, Department of Communication Sciences, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran
3 - Associate Prof, Department of Partnerships and Communication, Educational Research and Planning Organization, Ministry of Education, Tehran, Iran
4 - Associate Prof, Department of Communication Sciences, Science and Research branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2022-11-05 Accepted : 2023-02-08 Published : 2022-08-23

Keywords: Identity, Virtual space, real space,

Abstract :

Today, the media in the virtual space have created a paradigm, unlike the traditional media, where the audience is faced with two real and virtual worlds. The purpose of the current research was to identify dual identities in virtual and real space based on the lived experiences of teenagers, which was conducted using the qualitative research method and thematic analysis method. 16 participants (students) were selected using purposive sampling and were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling continued until theoretical data saturation was reached. Data were analyzed based on Brown and Clark's thematic analysis process and using MAXQDA software. Data analysis into 274 primary codes in 18 basic themes and 6 main themes including "family identity", "religious identity", "cultural identity", "national identity", "ethnic identity", "" and "gender identity" classification became. The results showed that real and virtual space has led to the formation of different and sometimes dual identities in teenagers.