Examining Turkish Youth's Reaction to Instagram Influencers: A Sentiment Analysis

Abstract

This study employs a mixed-methods research methodology to investigate the attitudes of Turkish teenagers towards Instagram influencers. Over the course of one year (December 2022 to December 2023), we collected 18,619 Instagram comments, specifically focusing on Turkish adolescents who were actively interacting with influencers. The sentiment analysis was conducted using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and Python to classify the polarity of sentiments expressed in the comments as positive, negative, or neutral. The qualitative content analysis revealed a wide range of feelings and attitudes, highlighting the significant role Instagram influencers play in shaping the ideas, opinions, and worldviews of Turkish youth. The study found that admiration, jealousy, inspiration, and anxiety were among the most common emotions elicited by influencers. These emotions were categorized and analyzed to understand their prevalence and intensity. Additionally, the underlying reasons behind these emotions were explored, including the relatability of the content, perceived authenticity of the influencers, and the impact of their lifestyles and messages on the youth's self-perception and social behavior. By integrating both qualitative and quantitative data, this study provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of how Instagram influencers affect Turkish adolescents. The findings contribute valuable insights to the field of digital culture studies, emphasizing the complex and multifaceted influence of social media on youth.