Embodiment and Digital Identities: An Empirical Analysis of the Emotional Codes of the Twitch Generation

This paper aims to investigate the relational and communicative dynamics that characterize the Twitch generation within digital contexts. Through a theoretical-empirical analysis, it aims to explore how this digital native generation constructs its identities, relationships and communities through the use of platforms such as Twitch. Beginning with a description of the peculiarities of these virtual environments, characterized by a highly codified visual language and forms of real-time interaction, the analysis will focus on the use of specific communicative elements such as stickers, emoji and emoticons. These elements, in fact, represent a visual language that, in addition to conveying emotional and affective content, helps define group dynamics and create a sense of belonging. The research will be based on a qualitative analysis of data collected through participant observation and content analysis of online conversations. The goal is to identify the most recurrent expressive and emotional modes within Twitch-related online communities, as well as to understand the meaning these expressive elements take on for users. In particular, the study will deal with the analysis of the following aspects: Digital identity: How does the use of these visual codes contribute to the construction and negotiation of users' digital identities? Social relations: What types of relationships are established within these online communities and how do they manifest themselves at the communicative level? Digital subcultures: To what extent do these languages contribute to the formation of digital subcultures and the creation of a sense of belonging? Finally, the presentation will provide some methodological considerations related to the observation of virtual environments, emphasizing the specificities and complexities of this type of approach. In particular, it will discuss the role of the observer in interacting with participants, the challenges of collecting and analyzing textual, visual data and the potential offered by new technologies for digital data analysis.