Psychologist: Social media fulfils adolescent identity needs

Jakarta — A clinical adult psychologist and Master’s graduate from the University of Indonesia, Teresa Indira, explains that Generation Alpha’s attraction to social media cannot be separated from their psychological development needs.

“They are the first generation that has lived in a digital environment since birth. Smartphones, YouTube, TikTok, and various other platforms have become part of their daily life,” Teresa said when contacted by ANTARA on Friday.

According to the psychologist, often called Tesya, Generation Alpha refers to children born around 2010 to 2024 or 2025. By 2026, the earliest members of this generation have entered the pre-adolescent to early adolescent phase.

“Adolescents are asking themselves: who am I, which group do I fit into, and how do others perceive me,” she said.

According to Tesya, social media provides a space that aligns perfectly with these needs. Digital platforms allow adolescents to express themselves through photos, videos, or opinions, whilst simultaneously receiving immediate responses from their social environment.

Beyond psychological factors, biological aspects also play a role. She explained that notifications and interactions on social media trigger dopamine release in the brain, producing a sense of pleasure and encouraging repetition of such behaviour.

The combination of identity needs, social connection, and biological responses makes social media feel relevant to adolescents.

She believes that understanding these developmental aspects is important so that parents can view social media usage in a more proportional manner and be able to support their children in the process of identity formation in the digital era.