Impact of Media and Social Factors on Identity Formation in Adolescents

Identity formation is a universal term for young women and young boys who are attempting to create themselves when they have that self awareness principle. There are many experiments that reveal media, peer pressure, and environmental aspects contribute towards alternating an individual's identity. Natural observation and the longitudinal research study can reveal the changes that form when a person encounters a social ecological aspect that can change their own identity which; it could be through pals, pressure to suit, or celebrity envy.

2 research study techniques that would prove to show that media, peer pressure, and social ecological aspects do influence identity formation would be studying a participant over an extended period time and studying a person in a natural setting with out them understanding. For instance doing a longitudinal research study on an individual will show the influences of different aspects that will have on a particular individual through out their advancement. Doing this sort of research study method will show the progress of modifications in that participant's life and will show the scientist the affect it has on her or his identity development.

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For example a girl who constantly sees stars through out her childhood and into her teenager years will reveal an affect on her identity rather then somebody who is taught on reality and how people are suppose to look like or act. "Teenagers who saw music videos were most likely to acknowledge and relate to the socially qualified habits showed in the video than to the negative images or home entertainment just value of the video (Te'Neil Lloyd 2000).

" Utilizing a natural setting can show scientists if individuals act in a different way in genuine life after watching certain movies or shows.

Without the individual understanding they are being studied they will reveal a natural habits and more than likely send out an incorrect identity after being exposed to those social media factors. The downside about using these two research approaches can be both individuals can leave anytime they want. Such as using the longitudinal research study the young participant can drop out of the research study anytime of his/her life. To make sure this study is ethical is to have a moms and dad's permission for their kid to get involved in this research study over their whole advancement period.

For the natural setting observation study the researchers cannot talk to whoever they are observing which can lead to involvement towards the study and interrupting the natural behavior. To make sure this type of research study is ethical is to not use names and make sure other people cannot find these participants in their community. Or they can tell their participants that they want to observe them, but not tell them when and do the observation randomly. Overall identity formation can be manipulated at anytime in the child’s development stages; media, magazines, and their own peer group can change how they view themselves.

Using a natural setting for observation, and longitudinal study can show researchers that social factors and environmental factors can influence identity formation. Overall social media, celebrity shows, and environmental factors have a heavy impact on our lives each day. Many young girls and boys try to find their own medium with all these barriers to overcome with trying to fit in at school or watching TV shows that show unrealistic behaviors and appearances for the real world. “Teenaged adolescents watch more movies than any other segment of the population.

More than 4 million adolescent girls monthly purchase magazines such as Seventeen and Sassy (Evans et aL, 1991), and three-fourths of white females aged 12-14 read at least one magazine regularly (Klein et al. , 1993). Add to this videos, books, and newspapers, and the total amounts to a significant part of the daily experience of adolescents (Jensen Arnett 1995). ” This fact shows many girls and boys are exposed to a lot of media, gossip magazines and movies that many people envy for their life and identity to be like.