Virtual Sociality and Identity Construction: Understanding Gen Z Emotional Engagement in Digital Entertainment Communities

This study focuses on the dynamics of virtual sociality and identity construction of Generation Z in digital entertainment communities, including online fandoms, multiplayer games, meme-sharing websites, and influencer-driven social media platforms. Using qualitative approaches such as digital ethnography and semi-structured interviews, the study explores the ways Gen Z individuals navigate emotionally laden interactions and build personal and collective identities in these online worlds. Analysis highlights emotional engagement—from affective ties and social validation to vulnerability and resistance—as a key mechanism in the articulation and negotiation of digital identities. The research also explores how platform-specific affordances, such as visibility granted by algorithms, anonymity, and interactivity, abridged emotional consumption and performance of identity. Drawing on theories of affective labor, performativity, and networked individualism, the results contribute to understanding how digital entertainment communities are affective ecosystems where emotional expression, connection with peers, and identity experimentation come together. This study enhances understanding of the socio-emotional complexities of media use among Gen Z and has consequences for media studies, youth sociology, and digital cultural theory.