Suchergebnisse

Social media engagements are integral to the lives and experiences of emerging adults. The aim of this study was to explore social media as a space where South African emerging adults shape and refine their sense of self. An explorative and descriptive qualitative approach was employed and individual interviews were conducted with 41 participants ((MAge= 23.17; SD = 2.65; Females = 53.7%). Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants confirmed the centrality of social media in their lives and emphasised both the value (being connected, informed, and entertained) and the dangers (invasion of time/privacy and exposure to negativity/inauthenticity) of social media engagements. Social media facilitate the development towards an evolving story of the self as emerging adults navigate through the intricacies of life. A prominent finding in this study related to the intentionality of the social media engagements of emerging adults as they actively attempt (as Actors, Agents, and Authors) to find positivity and possibility in a world of contradiction and instability.

This study aimed to explore perceptions and experiences of parental identity development, with a specific focus on how the developmental dynamics of emerging adulthood intersect with processes of commitment, exploration and reconsideration of the parental role. Twenty-four South-African emerging adult parents were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed that the intersection of the transitions towards parenthood and adulthood culminates in a nuanced expression of parental roles in relation to the themes of possibility, instability, in-betweenness, self-focus and identity exploration. Heterogeneity was seen in the expression of mixed emotions of hope and excitement about parenthood together with insecurity and struggles in the attempt to balance multiple roles, especially when facing challenges related to the South-African context. Participants prioritised responsibility and commitment to the parental role, facilitated by the support from parents, extended families and cultural norms. This research presents first steps towards a qualitative inquiry into the three-dimensional conceptualisation of parental identity formation.

Intergroup relation perspectives stem from research in Western contexts with clear distinctions between the dominant and nondominant groups. In South Africa, with at least 13 different cultural groups and 11 official languages, no group is dominant in all life spheres. We examine the relationship between identity and in-/out-group orientation across Black-Zulu, Coloured (mixed racial ancestry), Indian, and White-Afrikaans emerging adults ( N = 390; 75% females, Mage = 19.97 years, SD = 2.44). Results indicate that personal identity for all groups and ethnic identity for Black-Zulu, Indian, and White-Afrikaans emerging adults were important for intergroup relations. Black-Zulu, Coloured, and Indian emerging adults distinguish themselves less from others, whereas White-Afrikaans emerging adults are less open to others. Ultimately, the complexity of intergroup relations in South Africa has implications for the effective transformation interventions needed to counter experiences of threat and make group boundaries more flexible for emerging adults.