The Role of Social Media in Shaping the Self-Identity of Young Women in Urban Areas (A Cultural Communication Theory Perspective)

Abstract

Social media has become an important space for young women to express themselves, construct personal images, and negotiate cultural identities. This study aims to examine the role of social media in shaping the digital identities of young women in urban Jakarta from the perspective of cultural communication theory. Using a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design, the study focuses on women aged 18–25 who actively use Instagram and/or TikTok. Data are designed to be collected through in-depth interviews, digital observation, and content analysis, with purposive sampling and snowball sampling where necessary. Thematic analysis will be used to explore participants’ experiences, self-representation practices, audience responses, and negotiations of cultural values, social norms, and gender expectations. The analysis draws on Stuart Hall’s theory of representation, Erving Goffman’s self-presentation perspective, and George Herbert Mead’s symbolic interaction theory. The study is expected to develop a conceptual model explaining how urban cultural contexts, personal meaning-making, digital representation, and social interaction contribute to the ongoing formation and negotiation of digital identity.