REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Slang and Identity Across Platforms: Examining the Motivations Behind Slang and its

Negative Impact on the Identities of Gen Z and Millennials

Menjie M. Ganzon

Sahanie M. Gasa

Gloria A. Granado

College of Arts and Letters, Polytechnic University of the Philippines

ENGL 354: Multilingualism and Multiculturalism

Dr. Marissa L. Mayrena

January 31, 2025

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

Research Design

The study is qualitative and it adopts a comparative case study methodology to be able to

examine the motivations and impacts of slang usage by the two different generations, which

is the Gen Zs on TikTok and the Millennials on Facebook. Investigating these motivations

behind slang adoption, the role of slang in fostering social identity, and its perceived effects

on an individual along with generational identities is the study's main objectives.

Additionally, this paper's framework is grounded in Social Identity Theory (SIT) which

specifically emphasizes the understanding of how slang impacts social belonging, personal

expression, and even relationships between the two generations.

Data Collection Methods

Survey Questionnaires:

Design: It is an open-ended question that is crafted to explore the participants'

motivations for using slang and its impact on their sense of identity. The questions are

made to focus on how slang affects group belonging, self-expression, and even the

relationships between generations.

Respondents: Five (5) Gen Z respondents (ages 19–23) from the Polytechnic

University of the Philippines and five (5) Millennial respondents (ages 28–40) from
 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Sta. Mesa, Manila
College of Arts and Letters
Department of English and Foreign Languages and Linguistics (DEFFL)

Facebook. This selection ensures that it maintains diversity in slang usage and

demographic representation.

Administration: Questionnaires are distributed via Google Forms, with instructions

emphasizing the authentic and reflective responses for respondents.

Data Analysis Techniques

Social Identity Theory:

Framework: This analysis will utilize a theory, called Social Identity Theory(SIT) to

identify the recurring themes across survey responses that focus on motivations (e.g.,

social belonging, self-expression) and impacts (e.g., shaping identity and generational

understanding).

Coding: Themes are grouped into categories such as identity development, cultural

expression, and generational dynamics.

Comparative Analysis:

Approach: It is a side-by-side comparison of TikTok and Facebook slang use that

emphasizes differences and similarities in motivations and perceived impacts between

the two platforms and generations.

Contextual Analysis:

Focus: Examines how digital platforms influence the motivations behind slang use

and the resulting impact on generational identities. TikTok’s rapid trend cycles and

Facebook’s conversational tone are analyzed for their roles in shaping slang

dynamics.
 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Sta. Mesa, Manila
College of Arts and Letters
Department of English and Foreign Languages and Linguistics (DEFFL)

Tradition of Inquiry and Data-Generation Method

The data is generated from the human respondents of this study. Further, the data is generated

through the responses provided by the respondents in a qualitative survey questionnaire. A

Two (2) Google form link containing open-ended questions is given to and answered by the

chosen respondents; one link is for the group of respondents representing Gen Z and the other

link is for the group of respondents representing the Millennial generation. They are

instructed to answer each question authentically to generate the required and target data for

the analysis in this study. All questions are framed based on the fundamental question of this

study, which is, to determine what the motivations of Gen Z and Millennials are in engaging

with the use of slang and to explore the negative impact of using slang on their identities as

generations as they perceive.

Sources of Data

Five (5) respondents, who are TikTok users, from the program Bachelor of Arts in English

Language Studies (ABELS) at Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Sta. Mesa and

five (5) respondents from the platform called Facebook are the primary sources of data for

this study. Those who are ABELS students from PUP Sta. Mesa ages 19 to 23 from different

levels (i.e., 1st to 4th year) representing Gen Z in this study, and those respondents from

Facebook are ages 28 to 40, representing the Millennial generation. Every respondent is

selected thoroughly based on age and frequency of using slang daily, making them a suitable

source of data for this research about motivations and the impact of utilizing slang. They are

provided a link to an online questionnaire that stores all the information given by them.
 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Sta. Mesa, Manila
College of Arts and Letters
Department of English and Foreign Languages and Linguistics (DEFFL)

Instrumentation

This research makes use of online survey questionnaires to collect qualitative data on

motivations and perceived impacts of slang usage among two generations which are the Gen

Zs and Millennials. Two separate Google forms are made for each group. The instruments

that the researchers utilize are specially designed to gather data and insights into how slang

influences the establishment of generations’ social identities and even the social dynamics on

digital platforms like TikTok and the Facebook app.

Survey Questionnaire:

●​ Description: This study implements an online survey that has open-ended questions

aimed at obtaining detailed responses about the participants' motivations for using

slang and its negative impact on their identities along with social interactions which

are considered the primary instrument for the data collection for this study.

●​ Components: The main components of the survey questionnaire comprise the

following:

○​ Demographic Information: It includes several questions that capture the age,

gender, educational background, and social media usage habits of the

participants.

○​ Motivational Factors include questions that are integral to generating relative

data for the investigation of this study.

○​ The Negative Impact on Identity section of the survey contains questions that

are important to understanding the impact of slang on the identity of each

generation.
 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Sta. Mesa, Manila
College of Arts and Letters
Department of English and Foreign Languages and Linguistics (DEFFL)

○​ Administration: The online survey is distributed using Google Forms to make

sure that it is accessible and anonymous.

Ethical Consideration

To ensure that the study "Language Across Platforms: A Comparative Analysis of Gen

Z Slang on TikTok and Millennial Slang on Facebook" is carried out responsibly and respects

the rights and privacy of participants as well as the digital spaces under study, ethical

considerations are essential.

Informed Consent: Informed consent must be acquired if the study includes direct interaction

with participants, such as through surveys or interviews. Participants must get comprehensive

information regarding the study's objectives, their voluntary involvement, and their freedom

to discontinue participation at any time (Resnik, 2020).

Privacy and Anonymity: Since social media is the main focus and private and public

communication frequently overlap, measures must be implemented to anonymize data and

guarantee that no one can be identified from the results. This involves leaving out or

generalizing locations, usernames, or other private data from the study (Buchanan & Zimmer,

2021).

Preventing Bias: Care should be taken to convey results impartially, avoiding stereotyping or

distorting the language usage of either generation. To recognize the variety of circumstances

in which slang is used, the study should aim for cultural sensitivity (Wiles, 2012).
 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Sta. Mesa, Manila
College of Arts and Letters
Department of English and Foreign Languages and Linguistics (DEFFL)

Non-Exploitation of Participants: When participants are involved, their time and

contributions should be respected; their contributions should not be exploited for academic

reasons alone without any reciprocal advantages (Resnik, 2020).

Following these ethical guidelines guarantees that data is handled responsibly,

respects the communities involved, and offers valuable insights into linguistic patterns over

generations.