Teens, Friends, and Being True to Yourself Online

Teens often try out different versions of themselves with friends. This is normal. It's part of growing up. Friends play a big role in this. They help teens figure out who they are and who they want to be. A recent study wanted to see how teens feel when they chat online with friends they also know in real life. The study looked at why teens do this. It also checked if these reasons affect how real or fake they feel during these chats. One hundred thirty teens, aged 13 to 17, shared their experiences. They talked about their online chats with friends in the past day. The study found two main types of motivations. The first is when teens chat because they want to. The second is when they feel they have to. The study showed that when teens chat online because they want to, they feel more like themselves. This is called state authenticity. It's when you feel real and true to who you are in the moment. This kind of motivation explained a big part of why teens feel authentic online. On the other hand, when teens chat out of guilt or obligation, they feel less like themselves. This is called state inauthenticity. It's when you feel like you're not being your true self. The study suggested that a much larger group of teens would be needed to see if this kind of motivation has a small effect on how they feel. In short, when teens chat online with friends because they enjoy it, they feel more like themselves. This can help them grow and feel good about who they are. But when they chat because they feel they have to, they feel less like themselves. This can make it harder for them to grow and thrive.