Las redes sociales virtuales: Espacios de socialización y definición de identidad

Abstract

The purpose of the study has been to identify the mechanisms that influence the construction of online identities of adolescents and the way they relate to each other. Thirty-six semi-structured ethnographic interviews are analyzed, applied to students between the ages of 12 and 18, belonging to all social sectors of the region of Valparaiso, Chile. The methodological design uses the content analysis technique, prioritizing a critical interpretative perspective and not an analytical-structural-linguistic one. Among the most outstanding conclusions of our work we find that virtual social networks represent for adolescents, a fundamental element to define themselves and identify themselves as subjects; however, the construction and definition of network identity depends on and requires the acceptance and recognition of others, often inducing a subjectivity molded to the demands of an ever more demanding audience, which can limit the freedom of gestures and opinions.