Lezing: Social Media and Identity

Social Media verbieden voor kinderen onder de 16 jaar. Er zijn landen die het doen. Omdat ze te bepalend zijn bij het vormen van hun identiteit. En verslaving en stigmatisering in de hand werken. Toch zijn er ook studies die aantonen dat Social Media juist een positieve invloed hebben op de mentale gezondheid. En dat ze leiden tot meer verbinding. Ook zijn een platform voor oppositie en activisme. In deze paneldiscussie verkennen Prof. dr. Marieke Pijnenborg en Prof. dr. Ulrike Schultze hoe verschillende platforms de identiteitsvorming en mentale gezondheid van jongeren en volwassenen beïnvloeden, met ruimte voor een genuanceerd gesprek met het publiek.

Let op: de lezing is in het Engels

A majority of people use at least one social media app, and social interactions increasingly take place online. Opinions on the implications of social media use on mental health vary widely. Some countries have banned social media use by children under the age of 16 in order to decrease harms to their identity formation, including addiction and stigmatization. However, studies show a more nuanced story, with social media also offering possibilities to improve mental health and well-being. Moreover, social media have also played a significant role in organizing opposition to repressive regimes and allowing marginalized communities to find their voice and awaken their activist identity. And the possibility of (re)building connections with people from our past, invites trips down memory lane to long-forgotten selves.

In this panel discussion, the implications of using different types of social media on individual identity will be discussed. While Prof. dr. Marieke Pijnenborg will focus on the use of mostly text-based, 2-dimensional social media among adolescents, Prof. dr. Ulrike Schultze will include insights on identity work by adults using 3-dimensional technologies, including online games and virtual worlds. By comparing and contrasting the insights from these two research domains – and through discussion with the audience – this panel will generate critical and nuanced understandings of social media’s pros and cons in contemporary identity development and mental health.

The lecture is in English and part of the “Meer Gezonde Jaren” series—an inspiring collection of events exploring topics that contribute to your health and well-being.

We dive into the world of sleep and nutrition and examine the influence of social media on mental health. But we also take a broader perspective. What can we learn from birds, which are naturally connected to the world around them and to each other?

The series is an initiative by RUG, UMCG, and HANNN

Be quick, as spots are limited!
Do you have any questions? Send an email to meergezondejaren@gmail.com