The Perspective on The Childhood: An Example of A Social Networking Site

The purpose of this study is to present the perception and understanding of the individuals who shared photographs with the hashtag childhood (#childhood) on social networking site towards childhood. For that reason, a social media website was chosen and what images and emotions the users who shared photographs with #childhood attribute to childhood was examined. In this qualitative study, online data collection method was utilized. The sampling materials chosen in the study were 400 photographs shared with #childhood in different months in the years 2014 and 2015 on the related social media website. The obtained data was analysed through content analysis method. Examining all the data, possible categories and codes were formed. Categories were formed under two titles: “Images attributed to Childhood” and “Expressions/Emotions attributed to Childhood”. In the former category, the most shared images were observed as food, games and toys peculiar only to childhood. In the latter category, the users were seen expressing their longings for their childhood years and highlighting how their childhood was different from the childhood in today’s world and stressing how childhood has changed over time.