The influence of Internet socialization of a teenager on the formation of intercultural communication skills

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the influence of Internet socialization of adolescents on the formation of intercultural communication skills. The relevance of the topic is due to the growing role of digital technologies in the socialization of modern youth and the need to develop intercultural competencies in the context of globalization. The study used methods of online polling, semi-structured interviews, and statistical data analysis. The empirical base consisted of 384 adolescents aged 13-17 years from various regions of Russia. The results showed that active participation in online communities and the use of social networks are positively associated with the level of intercultural sensitivity of adolescents (r=0.28; p<0.01). It was revealed that 67% of respondents regularly interact with representatives of other cultures online, which contributes to the formation of attitudes of cultural relativism. However, 54% of the respondents demonstrate an insufficient level of critical thinking when evaluating culturally specific information. The data obtained indicate the potential of online socialization for the development of intercultural skills, but indicate the need for targeted pedagogical support for this process. The prospects for the development of training programs for the formation of intercultural competence of adolescents in a digital environment are outlined.