Redes sociales y procesos de identificación en adultos jóvenes de Guayaquil que atravesaron la adolescencia durante la pandemia.

Abstract

The present research work examines the influence of social media on the identification formation processes of contemporary young adults, a relevant topic for understanding current subjective construction —characterized by fluid forms of identification— after they navigated adolescence —a key moment in the construction of their identity system— during the pandemic, which led to prolonged and normalized use of these platforms. The overall objective of this study was to analyze this influence through a literature review and fieldwork, with the aim of identifying the effects it has on the subject’s subjectivity. To this end, a qualitative approach with a descriptive scope was employed, grounded in theoretical analysis, surveys, and a focus group with young adults aged 18 to 23. The findings show that social media no longer serves merely as a tool but is also experienced as an extension of the environment in which the individual develops, generating a relationship fraught with ambivalent feelings. Factors such as age during the pandemic, the environment, and each individual’s unique subjective construction determine whether this use functions as a tool that facilitates the construction of identifications, whether these identifications become permeable, creating a defensive narrative; or whether they are experienced as a conscious space that inspires and validates subjective construction.