Socialization of youth in the context of virtual communication: advantages and risks
Research Article
How to Cite
Zubova Y.V., Lipchanskaya I.V. Socialization of youth in the context of virtual communication: advantages and risks. Humanities of the South of Russia. 2026. Vol. 15. No. 2. P. 105-115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18522/2227-8656.2026.2.8 (in Russ.).
Abstract
Purpose of the study is to examine the benefits and risks of youth socialization in the context of the emergence of virtual communication formats.
Methodological framework of the study is based on a riskological approach, principles of network society theory, social identity theory, and social capital theory.
Results of the study. The article examines the specifics and impact of virtual communication on the socialization process of modern youth. It has been established that the influence of virtual communication on youth socialization is ambivalent: on the one hand, opportunities for interpersonal communication, self-representation, self-realization, and creativity development are significantly expanded; on the other hand, new information, communication, and social risks arise.
Prospects of the study. The problem of cybersocialization of youth is of scientific and practical interest due to the need to understand the constructive and destructive impact of social networks on personality development.
Keywords:
socialization, cybersocialization, virtual communication, virtual thinking, virtual language, trolling, cyberbullying
References
Baeva L.V. Virtual communication: classification and specificity. Izvestiya Saratovskogo universiteta. Novaya seriya. Seriya Filosofiya. Psikhologiya. Pedagogika = Izvestiya of Saratov University. New Series. Series Philosophy. Psychology. Pedagogy. 2014; 14(4): 5–10. (In Russ.)
Bachilo M.D. Virtual communication and approaches to its study. Sibirskiy filosofskiy zhurnal = Siberian Journal of Philosophy. 2024; 22(2): 66–78. https://doi.org/10.25205/2541-7517-2024-22-2-66-78 (In Russ.)
Bourdieu P. Forms of capital. Ekonomicheskaya sotsiologiya = Economic Sociology. 2002; 3(5): 60–74. (In Russ.)
Zubok Yu.A., Chankova E.V. Communicative competence of personality in virtual reality space. Nauchnyy rezultat. Sotsiologiya i upravlenie = Research Result. Sociology and Management. 2019; 5(4): 139–150. https://doi.org/10.18413/2408-9338-2019-5-4-0-12 (In Russ.)
Kochetova Yu.A., Klimakova M.V. Adolescent in digital environment: identity and self-image. Sotsialnye nauki i detstvo = Social Sciences and Childhood. 2025; 6(3): 85–98. https://doi.org/10.17759/ssc.2025060306 (In Russ.)
Castells M. The Internet Galaxy: Reflections on the Internet, Business and Society. Yekaterinburg: U-Faktoriya, Izdatelstvo Gumanitarnogo universiteta = Yekaterinburg: University of Economics, Publishing House of the University of Humanities, 2004; 327 p. (In Russ.)
Kurbatov V.I. Virtual communication, virtual language and virtual thinking. Gumanitariy Yuga Rossii = Humanities of the South of Russia. 2013; 4: 56–68. (In Russ.)
Novikova S.I. Features of modern communication and information systems, evaluation of usefulness and efficiency of information as a resource. Voprosy innovatsionnoy ekonomiki = Russian Journal of Innovation Economics. 2020; 10(1): 497–509. https://doi.org/10.18334/vinec.10.1.100435 (In Russ.)
Pervushina V.N., Savushkin L.M., Khutornoy S.N. Features of communication in cyberspace. Vestnik Voronezhskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya Filosofiya = Proceedings of Voronezh State University. Series Philosophy. 2017; 1(23): 59–71. (In Russ.)
Petrova N.P. Psychological risks of virtual communications. Sotsialnaya psikhologiya i obshchestvo = Social Psychology and Society. 2019; 10(4): 42–57. (In Russ.)
Chesnokova L.V. Blurring the boundary between public and private in social networks and the privacy paradox. Filosofskie problemy informatsionnykh tekhnologiy i kiberprostranstva = Philosophical Problems of Information Technologies and Cyberspace. 2021; 2(20): 22–38. https://doi.org/10.17726/philit.2021.2.2 (In Russ.)
Shtofer L.L., Shevchenko O.M. Prospects and risks of digitalization as a trend of social development: culture and education. Vestnik Yuzhno-Rossiyskogo gosudarstvennogo tekhnicheskogo universiteta. Seriya Sotsialno-ekonomicheskie nauki = Bulletin of South-Russian State Technical University. Series Socio-economic Sciences. 2022; 15(2): 281–290. https://doi.org/10.17213/2075-2067-2022-2-281-290 (In Russ.)
Shumilova A.A. Information and communication risks of virtual space. Mezhdunarodnyy zhurnal gumanitarnykh i estestvennykh nauk = International Journal of Humanities and Natural Sciences. 2016; 1-8: 160–165. (In Russ.)
Beck U. Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity. London: Sage, 1992; 260 p.
Tajfel H., Turner J.C. The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In: Psychology of intergroup relations. 2nd ed. Chicago: Nelson-Hall, 1985: 7–24.
Bachilo M.D. Virtual communication and approaches to its study. Sibirskiy filosofskiy zhurnal = Siberian Journal of Philosophy. 2024; 22(2): 66–78. https://doi.org/10.25205/2541-7517-2024-22-2-66-78 (In Russ.)
Bourdieu P. Forms of capital. Ekonomicheskaya sotsiologiya = Economic Sociology. 2002; 3(5): 60–74. (In Russ.)
Zubok Yu.A., Chankova E.V. Communicative competence of personality in virtual reality space. Nauchnyy rezultat. Sotsiologiya i upravlenie = Research Result. Sociology and Management. 2019; 5(4): 139–150. https://doi.org/10.18413/2408-9338-2019-5-4-0-12 (In Russ.)
Kochetova Yu.A., Klimakova M.V. Adolescent in digital environment: identity and self-image. Sotsialnye nauki i detstvo = Social Sciences and Childhood. 2025; 6(3): 85–98. https://doi.org/10.17759/ssc.2025060306 (In Russ.)
Castells M. The Internet Galaxy: Reflections on the Internet, Business and Society. Yekaterinburg: U-Faktoriya, Izdatelstvo Gumanitarnogo universiteta = Yekaterinburg: University of Economics, Publishing House of the University of Humanities, 2004; 327 p. (In Russ.)
Kurbatov V.I. Virtual communication, virtual language and virtual thinking. Gumanitariy Yuga Rossii = Humanities of the South of Russia. 2013; 4: 56–68. (In Russ.)
Novikova S.I. Features of modern communication and information systems, evaluation of usefulness and efficiency of information as a resource. Voprosy innovatsionnoy ekonomiki = Russian Journal of Innovation Economics. 2020; 10(1): 497–509. https://doi.org/10.18334/vinec.10.1.100435 (In Russ.)
Pervushina V.N., Savushkin L.M., Khutornoy S.N. Features of communication in cyberspace. Vestnik Voronezhskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya Filosofiya = Proceedings of Voronezh State University. Series Philosophy. 2017; 1(23): 59–71. (In Russ.)
Petrova N.P. Psychological risks of virtual communications. Sotsialnaya psikhologiya i obshchestvo = Social Psychology and Society. 2019; 10(4): 42–57. (In Russ.)
Chesnokova L.V. Blurring the boundary between public and private in social networks and the privacy paradox. Filosofskie problemy informatsionnykh tekhnologiy i kiberprostranstva = Philosophical Problems of Information Technologies and Cyberspace. 2021; 2(20): 22–38. https://doi.org/10.17726/philit.2021.2.2 (In Russ.)
Shtofer L.L., Shevchenko O.M. Prospects and risks of digitalization as a trend of social development: culture and education. Vestnik Yuzhno-Rossiyskogo gosudarstvennogo tekhnicheskogo universiteta. Seriya Sotsialno-ekonomicheskie nauki = Bulletin of South-Russian State Technical University. Series Socio-economic Sciences. 2022; 15(2): 281–290. https://doi.org/10.17213/2075-2067-2022-2-281-290 (In Russ.)
Shumilova A.A. Information and communication risks of virtual space. Mezhdunarodnyy zhurnal gumanitarnykh i estestvennykh nauk = International Journal of Humanities and Natural Sciences. 2016; 1-8: 160–165. (In Russ.)
Beck U. Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity. London: Sage, 1992; 260 p.
Tajfel H., Turner J.C. The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In: Psychology of intergroup relations. 2nd ed. Chicago: Nelson-Hall, 1985: 7–24.
Article
Received: 17.02.2026
Accepted: 23.04.2026
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
APA
Zubova, Y. V., & Lipchanskaya, I. V. (2026). Socialization of youth in the context of virtual communication: advantages and risks. Humanities of the South of Russia, 15(2), 105-115. https://doi.org/10.18522/2227-8656.2026.2.8
Section
SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN MODERN SOCIETY
JATS XML
