KONSTRUKSI IDENTITAS SOSIAL GENERASI Z MELALUI INTERAKSI DENGAN CHATGPT
Abstract
The research aims to understand how the construction of Generation Z's social identity is formed through the process of intrapersonal communication when using ChatGPT as a medium of self-expression or virtual venting. The descriptive qualitative approach is an approach used in research with the constructivist paradigm. This study explored the subjective experiences of six purposively selected Gen Z informants. The results of the study show that ChatGPT acts as a neutral reflective space for Generation Z.  Generation Z interprets ChatGPT not just as a technological tool, but as a symbolic space that is safe, neutral, and supports self-reflection. The three main themes identified are: a safe space without judgment, privacy and control over personal information, and the free exploration of identity. Interaction with ChatGPT is a means of intrapersonal communication that helps Gen Z manage emotions, understand themselves, and form social identities authentically without social pressure. In this context, ChatGPT acts as a dialogue partner that supports emotional well-being and the search for self-meaning in the midst of the complexity of digital culture.
References
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. . (2018). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. (Fifth edit). Sage Publications, Inc.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Duarte, F. (2025). Exploding Topics: Jumlah Pengguna ChatGPT 2025.
Guest, G., Namey, E. E., & Mitchell, M. L. (2020). Collecting Qualitative Data: A Field Manual for Applied Research. SAGE Publications.
Ho, A., Hancock, J. T., & Miner, A. S. (2020). Psychological, Relational, and Emotional Effects of Self-Disclosure After Conversations With a Chatbot. Journal of Communication, 712–733(4), 712–733. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqy026
Kamila, N. M., Diarta, A. A., & Nuranisa, S. D. (2023). Persepsi Pengguna Media Sosial Terhadap Konten Informasi Mental Health (Studi Kasus Pada Platform Satupersen). Mediakom : Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 7(2), 134–147. https://doi.org/10.35760/mkm.2023.v7i2.9131
Lammertyn, M. (2024). 60+ChatGPT Statistics and Facts You Need to Know in 2025. https://blog.invgate.com/chatgpt-statistics
Littlejohn, S., & Foss, K. A. (2022). Ensiklopedia Teori Komunikasi. Kencana Prenada Media Group.
Lucas, G. M., Gratch, J., King, A., & Morency, L.-P. (2014). It’s only a computer: Virtual humans increase willingness to disclose. Computers in Human Behavior, 37. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.04.043
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis A Methods Sourcebook (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Mulyana, D. (2022). Pengantar Komunikasi (2nd ed.). Gramedia.
Neuman, W. (2016). Metode Penelitian Sosial: Pendekatan Kualitatif dan Kuantitatif (B. Sarwiji (ed.); 7th ed.). Indeks.
Norsely, F., Arviani, H., & Achmad, Z. A. (2023). Pengalaman Interaksi Pengguna Remaja Curhat dengan ChatGPT. Komunikologi: Jurnal Pengembangan Ilmu Komunikasi Dan Sosial, 7(2), 120. https://doi.org/10.30829/komunikologi.v7i2.16653
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Safitri, A. D., Achmad, Z. A., Arviani, H., Zuhri, S., Mustikasari, R. P., & Chairil, A. M. (2022). Dampak Publisitas Negatif Cyber Abuse Melalui Tinder Pada Remaja Di Kota Surabaya. Metacommunication; Journal of Communication Studies, 7(1), 36. https://doi.org/10.20527/mc.v7i1.12679
Sahputra, F. I., & Anggaraeni, F. D. (2022). … human–computer interaction with educational psychology in Medan: Hubungan interaksi manusia dan komputer dengan psikologi pendidikan di Kota Medan. Psikologia: Jurnal Pemikiran Dan Penelitian Psikologi, 17(7). https://talenta.usu.ac.id/jpi/article/view/8293%0Ahttps://talenta.usu.ac.id/jpi/article/download/8293/5150
Sarker, M., Zhou, L., Eberhart, A., & Hitzler, P. 2022. (2022). Neuro-symbolic artificial intelligence: Current trends. Journals.Sagepub.Com. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3233/AIC-210084
Sundar, S. S. (2020). Rise of Machine Agency: A Framework for Studying the Psychology of Human-AI Interaction (HAII). Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 25(1), 74–88. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmz026
Sundar, S. S., & Kim, J. (2019). Machine heuristics: When we trust computers more than humans with our personal information. Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300768
Thiodanu, B., & Sari, W. P. (2020). Fenomena Curhat Online pada @Cerminlelaki di Instagram. Koneksi, 3(2), 435. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24912/kn.v3i2.6445
Triệu, P. (2020). Seeing the Invisible: Understanding the Implications of Social Media Invisible Responses for Well-Being and Relational Development. University of Michigan.
Zhang, B., & Sundar, S. S. (2019). Proactive versus reactive personalization: Can customization of privacy enhance user experience? International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. Elsevier. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.03.002
