Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Communication and Media

Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Communication and Media

Tendencies of Iranian Female Teenage (13-18 years old) Users Concerning How to Show Themselves on TikTok

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Mohammad Amerian 1
Maedeh Aramesh 2
1 Assistant Professor, Language Division, Department of Islamic Studies and General Courses, IRIB University, Tehran, Iran (Corresponding Author)
2 B.A. Student in Television and Digital Arts, Department of Graphic Design and Animation, Faculty of Digital Arts, IRIB University, Tehran, Iran
10.22085/jiscm.2025.489177.1757
Abstract
"TikTok", as one of the emerging media, has been widely welcomed by teenagers in recent years with its focus on image and the centrality of making; sharing and watching short and musical videos. The aim of this article is to examine the presence of Iranian teenage female users (13 to 18 years old) on TikTok and their preferences regarding how to present "themselves" (appearance, lifestyle, relationships, ...) on this media. To this end, using convenience and snowball sampling methods, the audio-visual, audio and textual content of the profiles of a total of sixty teenage girls was examined and qualitative content analysis was conducted, and their common themes were extracted and coded, and the users in question were interviewed about their goals and preferences. The results show that (1) exaggerated emphasis on the external difference from the norms of society, (2) presenting a completely free, comfortable and self-absorbed image in communication, (3) claiming to deny any control and emphasizing personal choices, (4) presenting a rich and aristocratic image of lifestyle and daily consumption, and (5) showing unconditional agreement with all tendencies and intellectual tastes were the main themes of the profiles studied. Easy and quick access to a wealth of diverse and abundant information, familiarity with completely different ideas and lifestyles, the gradual blurring of cultural boundaries due to globalization, the search for a way to prove oneself, generational and social changes, and the great importance of popularity and having an audience are considered to be the reasons for these results.
Keywords
Content Analysis
TikTok
Teenager
Identity
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