Huffaker, D.A. and Calvert S.L. (2005) “Gender, identity, and language use in teenage blogs” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Vol. 10 (Issue 2), http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue2/huffaker.html [Accessed 11/03/09]
This study explores the way in which adolescents use the Internet, in particular blogs, in order to express themselves as well as investigating gender differences on this topic. After conducting a content analysis of 184 randomly selected blogs and looking at them in terms of disclosure of personal information, sexual identity, emotive features and semantic themes, it was found that for the most part males and females conducted themselves similarly through their blogs. Both sexes often revealed personal information such as full names, ages and locations. Males however, in line with traditional gender roles, used more active and purposeful language whereas females did not use passive or accommodating language as expected. Males were also more likely to make use of emoticons and were more likely to openly state that they were gay. The implications of these findings suggest that teenagers stay closer to their real life selves than previously suggested when presenting them online.
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I'm not sure that you've really tapped into articles dealing with young people's facilitiy with converged media (mobiles, WWW, networked games, Iphone etc)? However, you do seem to have found some articles that are more realistic about so-called "Identity Play", it's not much of an issue anymore is it?
ReplyDeleteMost people online are pretty much what they would be in similar circumstances offline. Kids act older and cooler -as they have done for generations. Middle-aged people tend to act younger (as they will IRL, in this world that worships youthfulness)