The Cool Factor: Teens’ Perspective on Popularity and Identity
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The Cool Factor: Teens’ Perspective on Popularity and IdentityAbstract
This qualitative study explores how senior high school students conceptualize and experience “coolness” within the intersecting realms of face-to-face interactions and social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok. Employing a phenomenological research design, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with eight Grade 12 students from Sto. Niño High School, selected via purposive sampling to capture diverse social experiences. Thematic analysis revealed seven key themes: fashionable individuality and social recognition; the cool teen’s code of conduct; fashion as rebellion and identity; authenticity over conformity; anxiety of appearance; algorithmic construction of coolness; and social contagion of coolness. Findings highlight the complex negotiation between personal expression and social validation, amplified by peer influence and digital algorithms. The study underscores the psychological pressures adolescents face, including appearance anxiety and conformity tensions, while emphasizing the role of authenticity in healthy identity formation. Implications point to the need for supportive, inclusive environments that empower teens’ genuine self-expression amid evolving social landscapes.
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