IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON ADOLESCENTS’ IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Identity development is significant during adolescence, which requires strong peer relationships through social interactions. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has created havoc in human life, where people distanced from each other to save themselves. To overcome this situation, adolescents already born into a digital era who used technology for fun previously increased their dependency on it to learn and develop.This literature review study was conducted using specific criteria that included literature before and after the pandemic and addressed the problem of how adolescents could develop their identity while shifting from face-to-face to virtual platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, this study aimed to observe the adolescent’s identity development before and after the pandemic while considering Erikson’s theory of eight psychosocial stages and Marcia’s identity statuses.Research findings revealed complex positive outcomes and significant negative consequences. The authors argued that whether positive or negative, adolescents’ identity development became weak and pushed them to a new social and historical context that impaired their ability to develop their identity.