youth identity theory

1. “IDENTITY IS COMPLICATED.
EVERYONE THINKS THEY’VE GOT
ONE”
(GAUNTLETT, 2007)

3. David Buckingham
• Institute of Education, University of London,
Centre for the Study of Children, Youth and
Media
• Well respected authority on Digital Media and
Identity

4. “A focus on Identity requires us to pay closer attention
to the ways in which media and technologies are used in
everyday life and their consequences for social groups”
-David Buckingham

5. David Buckingham
• “our identity is something we uniquely
possess: it is what distinguishes us from other
people. Yet on the other hand, identity also
implies a relationship with a broader collective
or social group of some kind. When we talk
about national identity, cultural identity, or
gender identity, for example, we imply that
our identity is partly a matter of what we
share with other people.” (Buckingham, 2008)

6. What is Youth Identity?
• Draw a typical teenager and write adjectives
• Discuss Stereotypes

7. • What do teens use to construct an identity?
Date Term ?, Lesson ? 7

8. Collective Identity
• ‘A collective identity may have been first constructed by outsiders
who may still enforce it, but depends on some acceptance by
those to whom it is applied. Collective identities are expressed in
cultural materials – names, narratives, symbols, verbal styles,
rituals, clothing.’ Francesca Poletta, James M Jasper, Collective
Identity and Social Movements
• ‘Although there is no consensual definition of collective identity,
discussions of the concept invariably suggest that its essence
resides in a shared sense of ‘one-ness’ or ‘we-ness’ anchored in
real or imagined shared attributes and experiences among those
who comprise the collectivity and in relation or contrast to one or
more actual imagined sets of ‘others’. David Snow, Collective
Identity and Expressive Form

9. Self-Identity and Social Identity
• Self-identity refers to how we define ourselves. Self-identity forms the
basis of our self-esteem. In adolescence, the way we see ourselves
changes in response to peers, family, and school, among other social
environments. Our self-identities shape our perceptions of belonging.
• Social identity is constructed by others, and may differ from self-identity.
Typically, people categorize individuals according to broad, socially-
defined labels. For example, if you have dark skin, you may be labelled
"black" by others even though you may not have adopted that identity for
yourself.
• A positive self-identity is correlated with positive self-esteem [5, 6]. All
identities are not equally valued by society, so some adolescents may
especially need reinforcement to help them construct a positive sense of
self.

10. Tafjal & Turner
Concept
• Social Identity Theory
Explanation
• In the Social Identity Theory, a person has not one, “personal self”,
but rather several selves that correspond to widening circles of group
membership. Different social contexts may trigger an individual to
think, feel and act on basis of his personal, family or national “level of
self”
• Apart from the “level of self”, an individual has multiple “social
identities”. Social identity is the individual’s self-concept derived from
perceived membership of social groups
How could this be applied to youth identity and
in particular, ‘Cyberbully’?

11. How is Youth Identity
Constructed?
Shared Experiences:
• Adolescence – physically and
emotionally maturing
• School/ Education
• Finding work - Choosing a
career
• Finding
love/friendship/acceptance
• Creating an identity that isn’t
created by
school/parents/authority
• Experimentation – drugs,
culture, crime
• Leaving home
CAN YOU ADD TO THE LIST?
Shared attributes:
• Innocence
• Frustration
• Enthusiasm
• Awkwardness
• Hope
• Anger Powerlessness
• Stress
CAN YOU ADD TO THE
LIST?

12. Identity Construction Quotes
• Sheldon Stryker We interact with others to create an identity, this
is called identity negotiation. This develops a consistent set of
behaviours that reinforce the identity of the person or group. This
behaviour then become social expectations. This is particularly
relevant for collective identities (especially sub-cultures) that
develop a specific way of relating to each other (attitude, language,
ideas) that goes some way to helping construct our identity.
• Mikhail Bakhtin The Russian philosopher Bakhtin believed that
individual people cannot be finalized, completely understood,
known or labeled. He saw identity as the unfinalised self meaning a
person is never fully revealed or known. This ties in with the idea
that identity is a fluid concept, a life-long project that is never
complete.

13. Identity Construction Quotes
• Quotes from David Gauntlett (Media, Gender and Identity)
• 'It is the case that the construction of identity has become a known
requirement. Modern Western societies does not leave individuals in any
doubt that they need to make choices of identity and lifestyle - even if their
preferred options are rather obvious and conventional ones, or are limited
due to lack of financial (or cultural) resources. As the sociologist Ulrich
Beck has noted - everyone wants to 'live their own life,' but this is, at the
same time 'an experimental life'.'
• Today we're bombarded with ideas about - being yourself, standing out or
finding your place - we're encourage to define our existence in terms of
what buy, do, earn money from or enjoy. Obviously finding an 'identity' is
problematic especially when so many existing identities and roles are
uncertain - think gender roles, career stability, upward mobility in class. So
Beck is saying that we experiment with 'identities' to see what fits, works
and is comfortable. And Guantlett continues:

14. How is Youth Identity
Constructed?
• ‘A period of ‘storm and stress’ characterised
by intergenerational conflicts, mood swings
and an enthusiasm for risky behaviour.’ G.
Stanley Hall (1906)

15. How is Youth Identity
Constructed?

16. Henry Giroux
Concepts
• Youth as empty category
• Explanation
Giroux's theory addresses the media's influence
on youths. He believes that youths act as a sort
vessel open to influences of adult culture and
how the media chooses to represent them,
therefore shaping the youths cultural contexts.
Can you think of any examples of this?

17. Henry Giroux
Concepts
• Youth as empty category
• Explanation
The media chooses the way they represent race, class, gender,
ethnicity, sexuality, occupation, age and so on, therefore leaving an
influence on the youths that are not necessarily true. The media acts
upon what it's audience wants. When appealing to a adult audience,
the media will reflect fears and anxieties that adults may find
entertaining, therefore giving an unrealistic view on youths.
Giroux suggests that the media influences them in a certain way as
youths are so impressionable, for example, if they are represented as
loud and abusive in films, they will act on this because they are being
told to act in such a way.

18. Henry Giroux
Concepts
• Youth as empty category
• Quote
“Youth as a complex, shifting, and contradictory category is rarely
narrated in the dominant public sphere through the diverse voices of
the young. Prohibited from speaking as moral and political agents,
youth become an empty category inhabited by the desires, fantasies,
and interests of the adult world. This is not to suggest that youth don't
speak, they are simply restricted from speaking in those spheres where
public conversation shapes social policy and refused the power to make
knowledge consequential with respect to their own individual and
collective needs.” (Giroux, 1998)

19. • http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/09/l
ondon-riots-kids-parents-police
• http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/new
s/2233878/Dad-at-13-Boy-Alfie-Patten-13-
becomes-father-of-baby-girl-Maisie-with-
girlfriend-Chantelle-Steadman-15.html

20. • ‘A collective identity may have been first
constructed by outsiders who may still enforce it,
but depends on some acceptance by those to
whom it is applied.’
• The adult dominant culture (or hegemony) that
no longer sees ‘Youth’ as children but has yet to
recognise them as adults.
• Marketers/Mass Media who realise that the teen
market is a lucrative one to exploit/sell to.

21. Antonio Gramsci
Concepts
• Cultural hegemony
Explanation
• Gramsci developed the idea of "cultural hegemony". As I mentioned
before, this is the idea that one social class within a culture
dominates society, therefore making their views and values
acceptable and "normal" behaviour.
• Gramsci believes hegemony is constantly causing problems within
societies arguing what is actually a "normal" way of life. For
example, this arguing is shown through negative and positive
representation of youths from different classes, most commonly
underclass

22. Antonio Gramsci
Concepts
• Cultural hegemony
Quote
• So one could say that each one of us changes
himself, modifies himself to the extent that he
changes the complex relations of which he is the
hub... If one's own individuality means to acquire
consciousness of them and to modify one's own
personality means to modify the ensemble of
these relations. (Gramsci)

23. How is Youth Identity
Constructed?
• Find 3 examples of Youth Identity in the Media
• Explain the Denotation and Connotation in
each image
• Is the representation Positive or Negative?
• Why do you think this is?

24. Youth vs Adults
• Ali G and Education
• Youth Programming is often a contentious
issue.
• Most Films, TV Shows and TV Channels are
produced by Adults for example;

25. The Inbetweeners
• Created by:
• Damon Beesley (42)
• Iain Morris (38)
• Stars:
• Simon Bird (24)
• Joe Thomas (25)
• James Buckley (21)
• Blake Harrison (23)

26. Coming of Age
• Created by:
• Tim Dawson (23)
• Starring:
• Abigail Barnston
(16)
• Tony Bignell (18)
• Hannah Job (22)
• Ceri Phillips (20)

27. Skins
• Created by:
• Brian Elsley (47)
• Jamie Brittain (23)
• Stars:
• Kaya Scodelario (15)
• Jack O’Connell (18)
• Lily Loveless (18)
• Kat Prescott (18)

28. Youth Oriented Programming
• BBC Three and E4 are aimed specifically for a
teenage market
• How can you tell this from their;
– Programme Schedule
– Website
– Ratings

29. Subcultures
• Teen Tribes
• What Sub Cultures exist now?

30. Subcultures

31. Subcultures
“Subcultures try to compensate for the failure
of the larger culture to provide adequate
status, acceptance and identity. In the youth
subculture, youth find their age-related needs
met.”
(Tittley, p.2).

32. Subculutres
• Youth are no longer children but they are also not yet adults,
i.e. they are too old to sit in with Mum and Dad on a Saturday
night watching Casualty, but they are not old enough to get
into bars, pubs and clubs etc. They do not have a fixed identity
at this point so they form these subcultures to forge their own
as a collective.

33. Subcultures
• Thrasher (1927) studied gangs in the jails and on the streets of
Chicago. He found various reasons for young people joining gangs,
including:
1. A sense of family – mostly from broken homes so desired a group
of people to feel part of.
2. Guidance – again, because of lack of family guidance they seek
someone to teach them and to help structure their belief system.
3. Solidarity – giving them the self-esteem and security that they
longed for.
• Gangs were forming in Chicago as a result of urban neglect. These
young people represented the “inner cracks of identity that occur
in the turbulent years of adolescence”.

34. Subcultures
• Jordaan & Jordaan (1993) gathered information
from lots of other studies of youth subcultures
and found, among other things, the following
special characteristics which the collection of
people share, including:
– An awareness of membership/a sense of belonging,
i.e. shared interests etc.
– A reason for being in the group/an internal motive,
i.e. hippies spreading the message of peace and love
and punks spreading anarchy.
– Pressure to conform, i.e. Jimmy not wanting to talk
to his old friend who is now a rocker.

35. Subcultures
• A group of people within a larger culture who differentiate themselves from that culture.
• Ken Gelder’s provides 6 key ways to identify a Subculture:
1. often negative relations to work (as 'idle', 'parasitic', at play or at leisure, etc.);
2. negative or ambivalent relation to class (since subcultures are not 'class-conscious' and don't
conform to traditional class definitions);
3. association with territory (the 'street', the 'hood', the club, etc.), rather than property;
4. movement out of the home and into non-domestic forms of belonging (i.e. social groups other
than the family);
5. stylistic ties to excess and exaggeration (with some exceptions);
6. refusal of the banalities of ordinary life and massification

36. Subcultures
• In pairs you are going to research a Subculture
• Try and find;
– What differentiates that Subculture
– History of the Subculture
– Examples of the Subculture in different Media