Developing a coherent and stable identity is a central task during adolescence. According to Erikson (1968), this period is characterized by a conflict between identity versus role confusion, in which young people begin to consolidate a sense of self by integrating personal values with those modeled by peers and society. However, this period is also a time when adolescents are particularly vulnerable to external influence – both positive and negative (Steinberg, 2023).

Granic et al. (2020) consider “narrative identity” part of a conceptual framework that works well to capture the impacts of social media on identity development. The idea is that identity is in part, comprised through story-telling; an adaptive way for people to understand through narration, their identity as an unfolding life story across time. In today’s digital world, identity formation now risks unfolding on social media platforms where adolescents curate and experiment with selective versions of themselves dependent on what is trending at the time. This essay argues that social media negatively impacts adolescent identity formation through algorithmically reinforced false portrayals, often leaving youth with fragmented or unrealistic self-concepts that are difficult to reconcile offline.

Social Media Comparison and Adolescent Self-Esteem

Cues that guide healthy identity development, ideally shaped through real-world interpersonal trial-and-error, are now received often in isolation, in the form of curated and idealized portrayals of others reinforced through significantly addictive likes, comments, and engagement data (Manago, 2015). Per Festinger’s (1954) Social Comparison Theory, such an environment can force upward social comparisons which can inspire personal growth, but they more often induce feelings of inadequacy – especially for girls. Over time, these repeated comparisons may fragment identity development and disrupt the formation of a coherent, self-authored narrative.

How Social Media Distorts Teen Mental Health and Identity

Adolescents in the United States are on their smartphone or other devices an average of 9 hours daily – that does not include time spent on homework. Eighty-nine percent of adolescents are members of at least one social networking site while the majority (71%) belong to more than one (Granic et al., 2020). Research suggests that increased social media use is associated with higher rates of anxiety, self-objectification, and identity confusion among adolescents, particularly girls (Menczer, 2021; Twenge, 2018). These adolescents navigate multiple digital spaces (Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat) that promote an endless stream of conflicting norms and values. Such an abundance of identity options foisted on them without time to reflect on the personal relatability of the material, can undermine personal agency – which may lead to identity diffusion and sometimes prolonged moratorium (Marcia, 1980).

Digital Permanence and the Loss of Narrative Agency

Adolescents need to reinterpret past experiences, including mistakes or embarrassments, and retain agency over their public image. But unlike previous generations, today’s adolescents cannot easily leave behind their identity experiments. Embarrassments are now preserved online, making it harder for young people to move on. Healthy development depends on narrative identities remaining malleable and self-authored; that is being able to revise, accept, and find closure while allowing some degree of poetic license (Eichhorn, 2019; Granic et al., 2020).

Algorithmic Influence on Adolescent Identity Formation

Social media algorithms feed adolescents’ content that reinforces idealized superficial identities (e.g., hyper-feminized, hyper-masculine, or an “expert” influencer’s aesthetic). Already hyper-conscious to the need to belong and feel accepted, they may commit to an identity that is externally rewarded through the false standards of social media, but internally incongruent with their developing core values. This can leave young people with a sense of agency stunted by unrealistic self-conceptions that do not fit with their realities when offline. “Person-society integration” is successful when individuals choose and commit to cultural values and norms that fit their own personal interests and values; optimum for healthy identity formation and associated with positive mental health outcomes in general (Erikson, 1968; Granic et al., 2020).

Echo Chambers, Identity Collapse, and Radicalization in Youth

As adolescents struggle to construct a coherent sense of self many retreat into digital echo chambers that validate only shallow identities. These spaces offer temporary relief from identity confusion by providing a ready-made worldview reinforced through likeminded peers but at the cost of critical reflection, emotional regulation, and tolerance for complexity – directly contributing to the rise of ideal-driven delusional mobs. Some may never develop a stable identity at all, leaving them unable to integrate meaningfully into adult society.

Reclaiming Identity in the Age of Algorithmic Distortion

Adolescents need to develop identity through lived experiences, self-reflection, and social reinforcement. Today, social media platforms derail this process by algorithmically reinforcing idealized identities which contaminate authentic narratives. When curated portrayals are accepted as reality, identity formation becomes outsourced and distracts teens from their personal values, and therefore they miss opportunities to integrate their true-selves with their respective societies. For their beliefs, values, and personal stories to develop into something coherent and adaptive, adolescents must retain exclusive authorship of their narrative identities.

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References

Eichhorn, K. (2019). The End of Forgetting: Growing Up with Social Media. Cambridge, MA and London, England: Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674239333

Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872675400700202

Granic, I., Morita, H., & Scholten, H. (2020) Beyond screen time: Identity development in the digital age. Psychological Inquiry, 31(3), 195–223. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2020.1820214

Manago, A. M. (2015). Media and the development of identity. In R. Scott & S. Kosslyn (Eds.), Emerging trends in the social and behavioral sciences (pp. 1–14). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118900772.etrds0212

Menczer, F. (2021, October 7). Here’s exactly how social media algorithms can manipulate you. Big Think. https://bigthink.com/the-present/social-media-algorithms-manipulate-you

Steinberg, L. (2023). Adolescence (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018). Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: evidence from a population-based study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003