1
Sociological Theory
Grand Canyon University
SOC-417
2
The impact of social media on teenagers' mental health is a complicated, multifaceted
modern phenomena. Symbolic interactionism, one of the sociological theories aimed at
explaining the significance of social interactions and symbols in the creation of meaning, is one
of the most insightful strategies for explaining the phenomenon. The concepts of researchers like
George Herbert Mead, Erving Goffman, Charles Horton Cooley, and Herbert Blumer are of the
utmost importance in offering explanations of the way in which the social media affect the
identity, self-concept, and mental well-being of adolescents.
George Herbert Mead's self theory is central to the understanding of how social
interaction results in identity formation. Mead felt that the self develops through social
interaction and that this is a two-step process: the "I" and the "Me." The "I" is the spontaneous,
creative aspect of the self, and the "Me" is the organized collection of attitudes and behaviors one
acquires through socialization. It is through interacting with others and interpreting how they
, react that individuals form their sense of self. For social media, Mead's theory can be applied to
explain how teenagers form their sense of self in an online environment. Teenagers are
continuously interacting with peers on social media platforms, attempting to receive approval
and validation by means of likes, comments, and shares. The "Me" is constructed through these
interactions, and teenagers may end up basing their self-esteem on their online selves. The
constant need for external approval may exacerbate self-esteem problems, leading to mental
illnesses like depression and anxiety. For example, studies show that teenagers with less social
media interaction feel less well-being since they internalize negative messages or the absence of
positive messages (Pantic, 2014). Mead's model does not fully describe the negative effects of
social media on teenagers' mental well-being. Mead's theory is face-to-face-based, and while it
Sociological Theory
Grand Canyon University
SOC-417
2
The impact of social media on teenagers' mental health is a complicated, multifaceted
modern phenomena. Symbolic interactionism, one of the sociological theories aimed at
explaining the significance of social interactions and symbols in the creation of meaning, is one
of the most insightful strategies for explaining the phenomenon. The concepts of researchers like
George Herbert Mead, Erving Goffman, Charles Horton Cooley, and Herbert Blumer are of the
utmost importance in offering explanations of the way in which the social media affect the
identity, self-concept, and mental well-being of adolescents.
George Herbert Mead's self theory is central to the understanding of how social
interaction results in identity formation. Mead felt that the self develops through social
interaction and that this is a two-step process: the "I" and the "Me." The "I" is the spontaneous,
creative aspect of the self, and the "Me" is the organized collection of attitudes and behaviors one
acquires through socialization. It is through interacting with others and interpreting how they
, react that individuals form their sense of self. For social media, Mead's theory can be applied to
explain how teenagers form their sense of self in an online environment. Teenagers are
continuously interacting with peers on social media platforms, attempting to receive approval
and validation by means of likes, comments, and shares. The "Me" is constructed through these
interactions, and teenagers may end up basing their self-esteem on their online selves. The
constant need for external approval may exacerbate self-esteem problems, leading to mental
illnesses like depression and anxiety. For example, studies show that teenagers with less social
media interaction feel less well-being since they internalize negative messages or the absence of
positive messages (Pantic, 2014). Mead's model does not fully describe the negative effects of
social media on teenagers' mental well-being. Mead's theory is face-to-face-based, and while it
