Study on the Identity Construction of Characters in TikTok Short Videos from the Perspective of Impression Management

Abstract

Nowadays, short videos have emerged as a significant aspect of contemporary life, attracting the attention of audiences worldwide. Users of platform like TikTok present colorful facets of their existence, including family life, parenthood, professional experience and so on. Within these videos, characters skillfully design their interactions to create an atmosphere of levity and amusement and try to leave an unforgettable impression on audiences. Therefore, individuals employ various strategies to manage their images, aiming to construct compelling identities. This study endeavors to explore the identities constructed by characters in TikTok short videos through different impression management strategies and delineates their distinct features and significance. The study draws upon data collected from the popular short video platform, TikTok, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. The results find that characters mainly construct five types of identities, promoters, operators, sharers, leaders, masters of cross-cultural knowledge through various acquisitive and protective impression management strategies. Thus, it’s clear that how users of public platform generate positive meanings and diverse values that resonate with netizens. And these characters’ impression management fosters the evolution of mass media and influences social benefits.