Cyber identity: determining the meaning-making process of university students in terms of the phenomenological perspective

ABSTRACT The aim of this research is to investigate the perceptions of university students of the cyber identity they experience on a day-to-day basis, especially following the pandemic lockdown. The research uses a basic interpretive research design with a qualitative, and particularly focuses on the phenomenological perspective. The data was gathered from 155 university students from 18 universities in Turkey and was analysed through the use of the inductive content analysis method. The meaning-creation process of students leads them to view cyber identity as a process which includes the personal characteristics and interpersonal interaction that takes place in any kind of digital platform. The findings from the study are categorized into two main themes: structural conditions and inner conditions. These themes consist of issues related to process, technology, personal factors, and other issues. In this study, cyber identity is considered to refer to a new way of relating to the technological world.