Digital Self-Reconstruction: Postgraduate Reflections on YouTube’s Role in Identity Formation

Abstract

In the digital era, motivational content on YouTube has transcended its entertainment role to become a profound influence on personal development and identity formation. This study investigates how postgraduate students reflect upon and reinterpret their self-concept through sustained engagement with self-improvement videos. Using a qualitative design grounded in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the research employed in-depth, semi-structured interviews with ten postgraduate students who regularly consumed motivational content. Findings reveal that YouTube serves as more than a passive medium—it functions as a virtual mirror, a source of emotional support, and a space for aspirational alignment. Participants reported significant shifts in self-perception, including greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and reevaluation of academic and life goals. These narratives suggest that digital content plays a substantial role in shaping identity, particularly during periods of academic uncertainty and personal transition. The study highlights four emergent themes: reflective media engagement, internalization of productivity values, self-realignment, and psychological empowerment. By emphasizing meaning-making over behavioral metrics, this research contributes to media and identity scholarship by illuminating how personal narratives are actively reconstructed through digital interaction. The findings propose a nuanced understanding of YouTube as an agent of psychological and emotional transformation in educational contexts, offering insights for educators, counselors, and media literacy initiatives.