Performing The Self Online: University Students’ Identity Construction on Social Media
Abstract
This study investigates how university students construct and manage their identities on social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and X. Using a communication-oriented framework, the study examines the strategies students employ to present themselves online, with attention to authenticity, audience perception, and the emotional impact of peer feedback. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews at a public university in Türkiye. Thematic analysis revealed six key themes across five research questions: selective authenticity, platform-specific self-presentation, audience awareness and context collapse, peer feedback and emotional influence, privacy boundaries, and the tension between authenticity and impression management. Findings indicate that students engage in curated yet emotionally sincere self-expressions, adapting their content based on mood, platform norms, and intended audiences. While some maintain consistency between online and offline identities, others adopt varying personas across platforms to manage visibility and control perception. Peer validation emerged as a significant emotional factor influencing posting behaviour. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of identity as a dynamic, communicative process shaped by digital environments and highlights the emotional labour involved in balancing personal authenticity with social expectations.
Keywords
Digital identity, Self-presentation, University students, Social media, Identity construction
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