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Faculty of Psychology, University PIM , Banja Luka , Bosnia and Herzegovina
Public Secondary School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Lukavac, Public Secondary School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Lukavac , Lukavac , Bosnia and Herzegovina
This paper explores the types of role models that children and adolescents form in the digital world and their influence on identity development. Through focus groups involving 110 participants aged 6 to 18, the study analyzed the figures most commonly followed by the participants, including athletes, musicians, and influencers. Special attention was given to the motivations behind following these role models, such as a sense of belonging, identification with a certain lifestyle, humor, or the informational value of the content. The results show that while children are often aware that virtual role models do not represent real life, they still assign them significant importance and form emotional attachments. The study emphasizes the need to strengthen media literacy and to develop a critical attitude toward the content that shapes young people’s identities in the digital environment.
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