DİJİTAL ÇAĞDA Z KUŞAĞI BİREYLERİN KİMLİK İNŞASI VE SUNUMU

Abstract

Identity is a construction process in which the individual positions and makes sense of himself/herself in relation to the other. The fact that identity is a constructed process shows that it is also a fiction that changes according to historical and social situations. Depending on social changes, the construction process of the concept of identity changes. While in traditional societies the concept of identity was constructed on the basis of family and religion, in the modern period it has become a process constructed by nation states. In the postmodern period, developments in information technologies have led to radical changes in the concept of identity. Especially with digitalization, physical identities have transformed into virtual identities. This transformation has led to the distinction between offline and online identity. In this context, the subject of this research is to understand the identity construction process of Generation Z, which is a generation born and raised in the digital age, also accepted as digital natives, on digital platforms. The aim of the research is to reveal the relationship and differentiation between the online identities and offline identities of Generation Z individuals built on digital platforms. In the research process, Derek Layder's adaptive methodological approach was used as the method. In the findings of the research, it was determined that Generation Z participants construct conditional identities according to the online environments where their close environment and strangers are present while constructing their online identities. It was observed that Generation Z participants were in a pragmatist behavior in the conditional identities they constructed on digital platforms.