EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF

SOCIAL MEDIA AESTHETIC TRENDS

ON GEN Z IDENTITY FORMATION
RESEARCH PROPOSAL PRESENTATION
INTRODUCTION
In the digital age, social media platforms have become
ubiquitous, shaping various aspects of contemporary
culture

Among the most impacted demographic groups are

Generation Z (Gen Z) individuals, who are digital
natives immersed in online environments from a young
age

This research will explore how social media aesthetic

trends, including fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and self-
expression, influence the identity formation process of
Gen Z individuals
 RESEARCH QUESTION
How do social media aesthetic trends impact the identity
construction of Generation Z individuals?

01
DEDUCTIVE
Deductive reasoning from
broader observations of Gen Z
behavior, recognizing the
pervasive influence of social
media on their daily lives
02
INDUCTIVE
Inductive reasoning from
specific instances of aesthetic
trend adoption, such as viral
fashion challenges or beauty
standards promoted by
influencers
03
ABDUCTIVE
Abductive reasoning to
hypothesize potential
explanations for observed
phenomena, considering factors
such as peer influence, digital
connectivity, and cultural
values (Lin, 2000)
 LITERATURE REVIEW

Yanow, D. (2014). Soss, J. (2015) Dvora and Schwartz- Livingstone, S. (2008)

Thinking interpretively. In-depth interviews Shea, (2013) Boyd, D. (2014)
Interpretivism vs. pros and cons How to avoid p-hacking Valkenburg, P. M., &
Positivism Understanding how to Problem of induction, Peter, J. (2009)
Verstehen conduct them limitations of human
Phenomenology observation, and the The role of internet and
Hermeneutics self-refutation of social media on identity
verification criteria formation
 CONTRIBUTION OF
INTERPRETIVISM

01
Allows us to explore the
subjective experiences and
meanings attributed to social
media aesthetic trends by Gen
Z individuals
02
Understanding ways in which
aesthetic trends shape identity
formation processes
03
Can complement positivist
approaches by providing
context-specific insights into
the lived experiences of Gen Z
individuals navigating social
media (Yanow & Schwartz-
Shea)
 Integration of
Approaches
The research will combine
positivist methods, such as
quantitative surveys to gather
demographic data and trend
analysis of social media content,
with interpretive approaches, This mixed-methods approach will
primarily through in-depth provide results that capture both
interviews quantitative trends and qualitative
insights
 METHODOLOGY
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

RESEARCH
DATA COLLECTION ANALYSIS TRIANGULATION
APPROACH

Quantitative methods In-depth interviews Iterative coding and Multiple data sources
e. g. surveys to gather Analysis of social media thematic analysis of and multiple research
demographic data, content content to identify interview transcripts to methods - to overcome
analysis prevalent aesthetic identify recurring the limitations of using
Qualitative methods trends and their impact patterns and themes a single method or
e.g. in-depth interviews, on identity formation related to identity data, and to get a
thematic analysis construction and social comprehensive
media aesthetics understanding of the
phenomenon
Thank you
very much!
 REFERENCES
Livingstone, S. (2008). Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation: Teenagers’ use of
social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression. New Media & Society, 10(3),
393–411.

Boyd, D. (2014). It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens. Yale University Press.

Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2009). Social consequences of the Internet for adolescents: A
decade of research. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18(1), 1–5.

Yanow, D. (2014). Thinking interpretively: Philosophical presuppositions and the human sciences.
In D. Yanow, & P. Schwartz-Shea (Eds.), Interpretation and method: Empirical research methods
and the interpretive turn, 2nd ed. (pp. 5-26). M.E. Sharpe.

“Contending Conceptions of Science and Politics: Methodology and the Constitution of the
Political,” in Dvora Yanow and Peregrine Schwartz-Shea, eds., Interpretation and Method:
Empirical Research Methods and the Interpretive Turn, pp. 27-49. New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2006.