Identity of Czech Adolescents - Relation of Cyberspace and Reality
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| Year of publication | 2005 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | In our report we refer to a real and a virtual identity of Czech adolescents, a relation between their real identity and their behavior in the cyberspace as well as the way they use the Internet. We present the results of our research in which 681 high-school students aged 12 - 20 were involved. The research was carried out in May and June 2003 as a quantitative investigation with the help of a questionnaire containing 95 questions, which was developed to meet the requirements of our research goals. There were two forms of the questionnaire the common real form (paper & pencil) and the Internet form. As a theoretical background, we chose the theoretical concept of identity of J. Marcia, in connection with the previous qualitative research. We have discovered that the behavior of an adolescent in the cyberspace often complies with the state of his/her real identity and his/her real behavior reality. The safe environment of the Internet enables that the adolescent may experiment more that he or she does in the reality. The results of our research showed that adolescents in the identity state of foreclosure often behave in accordance with their parents expectations and visions also in the cyberspace, while the behavior of adolescents in the identity state of moratorium corresponds to their parents expectations at the lowest level. Adolescents in the identity state of moratorium change their Self in the virtual space more than they do in the reality (e.g. they make themselves look better) and they use the virtual space as a arena for testing their values and attitudes; they examine and break the norms common in the reality more often. Adolescents in the state of identity achievement present themselves more authentically, behave in a similar way as in reality. |
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