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Defined by the #CoronavirusOutbreak’

Characterizing Gen Z in Twitter discourse surrounding Covid-19

Bibliographic Data

ID12600985
AuthorsJessica D Freeman (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga), Jessica Freeman (0000-0002-6714-5816, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, corresponding author), Jessica Elton (Eastern Michigan University), Daniel Sipocz (Berry College)
Year2022
Volume26
Issue9
Pages1130-1146
Publication date2022-05-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Youth Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1367-6261 • E-ISSN: 1469-9680
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13676261.2022.2072717
OpenAlexW4280562813
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited44

Applying Social Identity Theory and resulting stereotyping as a framework to construct and categorize the cohort, we analyze discourse surrounding Gen Z and the pandemic via Twitter. Specifically, the research uncovers how discourse portrayed the onset of the pandemic as a defining moment for young adults comprising Gen Z and investigates resulting emergent stereotypes of the cohort. Using an inductive-dominant approach to qualitative content analysis, researchers analyzed 634 tweets using the hashtags #GenZ/#GenerationZ and #Covid19/#Coronavirus at the onset of stay-at-home orders across the U.S. The analysis yielded two themes and five subthemes: (1) defining moment: COVID-19 as an opportunity for collective sacrifice and COVID-19 as a catalyst for collective change; and (2) emergent stereotypes: Gen Z as societal delinquents versus model citizens, Gen Z as fragile versus resilient, and Gen Z as negative versus positive users of technology. The study views Twitter as an important space to capture the pandemic as a defining moment for Gen Z and as a vector for generational discourse to reflect stereotypes of the cohort, which has previously been largely unexplored by generational stereotyping scholarship

Categorization · Cohort · Construct (python library · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Discourse analysis · Epistemology · Identity (music · Linguistics · Pandemic · Political science · Scholarship · Social media · Sociology · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Generational Differences and Trends · Media Influence and Health · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology

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Unique citing works5
Citations per year1,67
Citation span2023 - 2025 (3)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 5
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