The construction of identity is recognized as a dynamic process influenced by both visual and textual information that individuals encounter in their daily environments. Research indicates that the content we see and read not only informs our attitudes and beliefs but also plays a central role in shaping self-concepts, including gender identity. For example, studies on television portrayals have demonstrated how media representations promote certain gender roles through specific appearances, attire, behaviors, and emotional expressions (Ashraf et al., 2024; Friesem, 2016). Such media narratives can create a framework within which individuals internalize and negotiate their gender identities, often reproducing normative expectations that have broader social implications (Ashraf et al., 2024)
In today’s increasingly digital society, these phenomena extend into online contexts where social media platforms have become integral to identity construction. The digital environment introduces unique mechanisms of identity formation, including selection, manipulation, evocation, and application, which collectively facilitate the development of self-representations that are both fluid and multi-dimensional (Soh et al.,2024). Social media platforms, in particular, offer an interactive space where individuals actively curate personal profiles. This process enables users to continuously perform and negotiate facets of their identity while engaging in reciprocal identity-affirming interactions (Szulc, 2018). Research on digital self-creation has highlighted that individuals shape their online personas not only through deliberate choice and aesthetic presentation but also through the spontaneous and sometimes unconscious influence of the content they consume and social cues they receive (Susanti & Hantoro, 2022).
With respect to gender identity specifically, digital platforms provide fertile ground for both the reinforcement of traditional gender roles and the exploration of alternative gender expressions. Traditional media messages, such as those found in TV dramas (Ashraf et al., 2024; and discussions on media and gender Friesem, 2016), have historically contributed to normative gender expectations. However, social media has begun to complicate this process by enabling diverse groups to express, challenge, and reshape gender narratives. For instance, studies involving hijabi social media personalities illustrate how young Muslim women utilize digital platforms to forge identities that uphold cultural and religious values while integrating contemporary aesthetic trends (Kavakci & Kraeplin, 2016). This interplay between longstanding media narratives and emergent digital interactions underscores the complexity of how gender identity is constructed and mediated.
In summary, identity can indeed be shaped by the things we see and read, a process that is equally applicable to gender identity. While traditional media such as television and print continue to offer influential representations (Ashraf et al., 2024; Friesem, 2016), the rise of social media has introduced new dimensions of identity development characterized by interactive and contextually embedded practices (Soh et al., 2024, Szulc, 2018, Susanti & Hantoro, 2022). This dual influence emphasizes the importance of examining both conventional and digital media when considering the multifaceted development of identity in the modern era.
Research supports the contention that identity is not solely an internal construct, but is significantly shaped by the interactions we have with others. In particular, social interactions provide reflective feedback, enable validation or contestation of self-perceptions, and contribute to the process of defining personal identity within a broader social framework(Morgan et al., 2020), (Berger et al., 2022). Such interpersonal dynamics are evident in both offline encounters and increasingly in online environments, where both social media and gaming platforms function as arenas for identity negotiation and formation.
In the context of gender identity, interpersonal interactions play a vital role in both affirming and challenging socially constructed norms. For example, studies indicate that transgender and gender-diverse individuals often experience gender identity development through validation processes in online gaming environments, where avatars serve not merely as digital proxies but as sites of identity exploration and affirmation(Morgan et al., 2020). Similarly, social media interactions among LGBTQ youth have been documented to provide safe and supportive spaces. In these spaces, users obtain critical feedback and observe diverse representations that help them make sense of and articulate their own gender identities (Berger et al.,2022). This feedback—whether in the form of comments, likes, shares, or other forms of social acknowledgement—is influential in reinforcing or reshaping aspects of gender identity over time.
Social media and gaming contexts further illustrate how identity formation is an iterative process mediated through interactions with others. In the realm of gaming, peer interactions, shared experiences, and group dynamics create a culture that can either uphold traditional gender stereotypes or offer alternative models for self-presentation. Research indicates that gamer identity itself is interwoven with intersections of gender, race, and sexuality; the social positioning within gaming communities is often influenced by both the content of the games and the nature of interpersonal communications within those virtual spaces (Shaw, 2011). Concurrently, studies on gendered experiences in computer gaming reveal that female gamers, for instance, face unique social challenges such as exposure to gendered stereotypes and competitive pressures, which can influence how they negotiate their gender identities in these interactive settings (Hartmann & Klimmt, 2006).
Moreover, existing research on adolescent development within digital social platforms emphasizes that social gaming environments do not merely serve as leisure activities but are critical contexts where identities are actively curated and contested. In these interactive digital settings, adolescents receive continual social feedback from a diverse user base, which can either consolidate conventional gender roles or promote more fluid and individualized expressions of gender identity (Maheux et al., 2024).Both the immediacy of peer responses and the availability of multiple identity models contribute to a dynamic cycle where identity formation and interpersonal influence are mutually reinforcing.
In summary, the shaping of identity through interactions with others is a process fundamentally rooted in social psychology and is clearly applicable to gender identity. Feedback, validation, and shared cultural repertoires available on social media and in gaming environments provide both the means and the context for individuals to construct, refine, and sometimes contest their gender identity in ways that are both consciously negotiated and unconsciously absorbed.
