Management and Resocialization of Interpersonal Youth Relations in Social Networks

Abstract

In the framework of the paradigm of resocialization of interpersonal relationships in the virtual space of social networks and instant messengers, the article analyzes the phenomenon of the emergence of new social practices for managing interpersonal communications that are characteristic of the digital generation. The analysis of foreign concepts of resocialization of interpersonal relationships under the influence of social media and the concepts of network control and impression management is presented. The key points and issues of communication control concepts (J. Van van Dijk and N. Baym), support and activation of weak ties (M. Burke), privatization and reduction of communications (S. Turkle, S. Broadbent), and virtual “impression management” are considered ( D. Boyd & N. Ellison, P. Wallace, A. Gonzales & J. Hancock) in the space of social media. Methods of analysis of creative essays on a given topic, in-depth interviews and focus groups, both in offline and online formats, were used as practical research tools. An empirical study of the students' virtual communicative practices as representatives of the digital generation with high digital competence revealed the elements of a new network communication culture such as contact management in terms of privacy / publicity, synchronism / asynchrony, attention and involvement, as well as “impression management” through performance virtual self-presentation. Contact management is differentiated by the practice of grading the level of involvement, managing privacy and synchronism of network communications, virtual “impression management” — by the practice of proactivity, network perfectionism, identity correction, control of “digital traces” and multiplication of the multiple “I-image”. The article draws conclusions about the current formation of a social network communication culture and competencies in the management of virtual communication modes / contacts and virtual self-presentation in the digital generation environment. The further prospect of researching new communicative practices is seen in the direction of their convergence with the studies of digital literacy and analytics of key competencies, norms and patterns, and social network communication culture.