"Man vill ju se bra ut"
En kvalitativ studie om ungdomars syn på sociala medier
Social constructionismDiscourseDigital nativesSocial mediaGender constructionsSocialkonstruktionismDiskursDigital nativesSociala medierGenuskonstruktioner
This thesis examines young people's thoughts about their presence on social media. With asocial constructive approach the study focused on how young people think and act on socialmedia in relation to constructions of gender and normality. The analysis is based on fourgroup interviews with 13-year old boys and girls. The theoretical approach is based partly onsocial constructionism where discourses and ideas of normality are identified and analyzed.Erving Goffman's theory of social interaction was central to illustrate how young peoplepresents themselves based on the prevailing discourses. It is clear that they adjust theirrepresentations of themselves depending on the context. Theories of new media and youngpeople as digital natives were relevant for the study to understand how and why young peopleact as they do in their use of social media. The study also highlights the ignorance of adultsperceptions about young peoples presence on social media. This is related to Stanley Cohen'stheory of moral panic. In conclusion, one can say that the interviewees are well established inthe digital media landscape and social media is a natural part of their everyday lives. Theysee risks but also opportunities where they can share across social networks and be a part ofan interactive platform in constant change. The young people relate to norms and genderconstructions that are historically and culturally imprinted. On social media they perceivethemselves according to ruling discourses that makes them fit in, in the situation.