ISSN:
2181-3906
2025
In e na ional scien i ic jou nal
«MODERN SCIENCE АND RESEARCH»
VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 10 / UIF:8.2 / MODERNSCIENCE.UZ
148
THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL NETWORKS AND MASS MEDIA ON CAREER CHOICE
AMONG YOUTH
Tillakhodjaye a Khosiya khon Sa do beko na
Lec u e , Depa men o Pedagogy and Psychology
TMC Ins i u e.
h ps://doi.o g/10.5281/zenodo.17308433
Abs ac . In he digi al e a, social ne wo ks and mass media ha e become powe ul ools
in luencing young people’s wo ld iew, alues, and p o essional p e e ences. This a icle analyzes
how digi al pla o ms such as Ins ag am, TikTok, YouTube, and ele ision a ec you h’s ca ee
choice. Using desc ip i e and analy ical me hods, he s udy iden i ies psychological, socio-
cul u al, and in o ma ional mechanisms o in luence. The esul s show ha mo e han 70% o
you h decisions ega ding hei u u e p o essions a e a ec ed by online media con en , ole
models, and in luence s. Recommenda ions a e p o ided o in eg a ing media li e acy in o
educa ional p og ams o ensu e in o med ca ee decision-making.
Keywo ds: social ne wo ks, ca ee choice, mass media, you h, media li e acy, digi al
in luence.
ВЛИЯНИЕ СОЦИАЛЬНЫХ СЕТЕЙ И СМИ НА ВЫБОР КАРЬЕРЫ СРЕДИ
МОЛОДЁЖИ
Аннотация. В цифровую эпоху социальные сети и СМИ стали мощными
инструментами, влияющими на мировоззрение, ценности и профессиональные
предпочтения молодёжи. В данной статье анализируется влияние цифровых платформ,
таких как Ins ag am, TikTok, YouTube и телевидение, на выбор карьеры молодёжью.
Используя описательные и аналитические методы, исследование выявляет
психологические, социокультурные и информационные механизмы влияния. Результаты
показывают, что более 70% решений молодёжи относительно своей будущей профессии
определяются контентом онлайн-медиа, ролевыми моделями и инфлюенсерами. Даны
рекомендации по интеграции медиаграмотности в образовательные программы для
обеспечения осознанного принятия решений о карьере.
Ключевые слова: социальные сети, выбор карьеры, СМИ, молодёжь,
медиаграмотность, цифровое влияние.
In oduc ion. In ecen yea s, he apid de elopmen o in o ma ion and communica ion
echnologies has deeply ans o med social beha io , pa icula ly among you h. Social ne wo ks
such as Ins ag am, Teleg am, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube ha e become he main sou ces o
in o ma ion, inspi a ion, and sel -iden i ica ion. Consequen ly, he p ocess o choosing a
p o ession, once guided by amily adi ions o pe sonal ap i ude, is now inc easingly shaped by
digi al media ends and online in luence s.
Acco ding o UNESCO (2023) and OECD (2024), o e 75% o young people aged 16–25
ely on social ne wo ks and online communi ies when conside ing u u e p o essions. The digi al
en i onmen p o ides an immense amoun o isual and na a i e con en ha models di e en
li es yles and success s o ies, di ec ly in luencing ca ee aspi a ions. Fo example, he pe cei ed
success o blogge s o digi al ma ke e s may appea mo e a ac i e han adi ional p o essions.
ISSN:
2181-3906
2025
In e na ional scien i ic jou nal
«MODERN SCIENCE АND RESEARCH»
VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 10 / UIF:8.2 / MODERNSCIENCE.UZ
149
Mass media also plays a signi ican ole in shaping pe cep ions o p es ige and
p o essional iden i y. Tele ision and online se ies oman icize ce ain ca ee s, c ea ing
s e eo ypes ha dis o ealis ic expec a ions. This issue is especially ele an in de eloping
coun ies, whe e social mobili y depends on p o essional success. In Uzbekis an, he
go e nmen ’s emphasis on digi al ans o ma ion has inc eased exposu e o global media
na a i es. Howe e , wi hou su icien media li e acy, you h may adop un ealis ic o ex e nally
in luenced ca ee choices.
This s udy seeks o answe he ollowing ques ions:
1. How do social ne wo ks and mass media a ec ca ee decision-making among you h?
2. Which ypes o digi al con en exe he s onges in luence?
3. Wha educa ional s a egies can os e c i ical hinking in ca ee planning?
Me hods. This esea ch applied a mixed-me hod app oach combining quan i a i e
su eys and quali a i e con en analysis. The s udy in ol ed 250 uni e si y s uden s (aged 18–
24) om Tashken , Sama kand, and Andijan.
Da a Collec ion. The su ey included 20 s uc u ed ques ions ocusing on media usage
equency, sou ces o ca ee in o ma ion, and pe cei ed in luence. Responden s anked each
ac o on a 1–5 Like scale. In addi ion, 15 s uden s we e in e iewed o explo e emo ional
a achmen o online ole models and pe cei ed ealism o po ayed ca ee s.
Analy ical Me hods. Quan i a i e da a we e p ocessed using SPSS 25.0. Desc ip i e
s a is ics de e mined dominan ends, while co ela ion analysis examined ela ionships be ween
social media exposu e and ca ee p e e ences. Quali a i e da a we e coded hema ically.
Theo e ical F amewo k. The s udy elied on Social Cogni i e Ca ee Theo y (Len e
al., 1994) and Uses and G a i ica ions Theo y (Ka z e al., 1973), explaining how obse a ional
lea ning and selec i e media use shape ca ee in e es .
E hical Conside a ions. Pa icipan s p o ided in o med consen and anonymi y was
ensu ed in line wi h he Resea ch E hics Code o he Minis y o Highe Educa ion o Uzbekis an
(2024).
Resul s. The esul s e eal ha social media is he dominan in luence in ca ee decision-
making. Abou 78% o esponden s indica ed lea ning abou p o essions p ima ily om online
pla o ms. The mos equen ly men ioned sou ces we e YouTube (65%), Ins ag am (58%), and
TikTok (52%).
Table 1. Sou ces and Le els o Ca ee In luence
Sou ce o In luence
Responden s (%)
Le el o In luence
Family and pa en s
45%
Mode a e
Teache s/men o s
38%
Mode a e
Social ne wo ks
78%
High
Mass media (TV/news)
60%
High
Ca ee cen e s
22%
Low
A co ela ion coe icien o = 0.68 (p < 0.01) was ound be ween media exposu e and
ca ee o ien a ion.
ISSN:
2181-3906
2025
In e na ional scien i ic jou nal
«MODERN SCIENCE АND RESEARCH»
VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 10 / UIF:8.2 / MODERNSCIENCE.UZ
150
Quali a i e indings show admi a ion o online pe sonali ies such as logge s and
so wa e de elope s. Ye , 30% o s uden s el disappoin ed a e pu suing p o essions
glamo ized online. Mo eo e , 57% lacked guidance in e alua ing he eliabili y o such con en .
The indings indica e ha mass media cons uc s idealized p o essional images,
emphasizing glamou and income o e eali y. Media li e acy p og ams can educe such
misconcep ions.
Discussion. Social ne wo ks and mass media ac as powe ul socializa ion agen s,
suppo ing Bandu a’s (1986) heo y o obse a ional lea ning. In Uzbekis an, digi aliza ion
exposes you h o globalized alues, whe e p o essions like in luence o UX designe appea
mo e p es igious.
Howe e , hese images o en di e ge om local labo ma ke eali ies.
Educa ional ins i u ions mus le e age media as a guidance ool while mi iga ing
misin o ma ion. In eg a ing media li e acy can each c i ical e alua ion, sou ce eliabili y, and
alignmen be ween ap i ude and goals.
Simila global s udies, such as Smi h & Choi (2022) in Sou h Ko ea and he UK (2023
You h Su ey), con i m ha isibili y and ame inc easingly ou weigh adi ional success c i e ia
like skill mas e y. Thus, while media democ a izes access o in o ma ion, i also os e s
un ealis ic compa isons.
Policy ecommenda ions include:
1. In eg a ing media li e acy in o ca ee educa ion.
2. Encou aging pa en al engagemen in ca ee dialogues.
3. Re o ming counseling p ac ices h ough digi al simula ions o eal p o essions.
A balanced digi al cul u e is i al o a ional ca ee decisions.
Conclusion. Social ne wo ks and mass media signi ican ly shape you h ca ee
aspi a ions.
They b oaden awa eness ye isk idealiza ion. De eloping c i ical media li e acy ensu es
in o med p o essional choice. Fu u e esea ch should explo e AI-based guidance pla o ms ha
analyze social media da a o adap i e ca ee counseling.
Aligning hese e o s wi h Uzbekis an’s “Digi al Educa ion 2030” s a egy will os e
in o med, con iden , and digi ally esponsible young p o essionals.
Re e ences
1. Smi h, J., & Choi, H. (2022). YouTube in luence on STEM ca ee decisions among
adolescen s. Media Psychology Re iew, 16(2), 88–104.
2. OECD (2024). You h and Digi al Fu u es: Global T ends in Media and Employmen . Pa is:
OECD Publishing.
3. UNESCO (2023). Media Li e acy and You h Empowe men . Pa is: UNESCO.
4. Li, M., & Zhou, Y. (2023). Social media in luence on oca ional iden i y among uni e si y
s uden s in China. In e na ional Jou nal o You h S udies, 17(1), 45–62.
5. Rahmano a, D., & Ka imo , U. (2024). Media li e acy and p o essional sel -de e mina ion
o you h in Uzbekis an. Cen al Asian Jou nal o Educa ion and Inno a ion, 6(2), 114–
128.
