Death Immortalized: The Phenomenology of Social Media Mourning among Filipino Millennials

Death is a universal concept which influences all human beings. Through generations, the process of grieving and mourning which accompany death, has evolved from traditional to digital, aligned with the changes of time. In varying age groups, this grieving process is expressed in diverse ways, and existing literature shows a lack of this exploration, especially in the Filipino context. This phenomenological research aims to describe the participants’ digitalized mourning by utilizing social media platforms to process their grief. The participants will be from the Millennials or ages 24-42 years old, from Legazpi City, the capital of Albay. Using an interview guide, this study seeks to answer: “How do millennials give meaning to their social media mourning?” The narratives will be analyzed through thematic analysis via a repertory grid. This research hopes to contribute to the growing Filipino research literature on death and dying, specific in age groups, which is most beneficial in gerontological psychology, developmental psychology, and clinical psychology. The study resulted in the formulation of the H.E.R.O. model of social media mourning, representing the following themes: Helping and Hurting, Enriching and Encroaching, Relieving and Reliving, and Obtaining and Obscuring; categorizing the various forms of mourning demonstrated by Filipino millennials online. These findings have important implications for individuals, families, and communities as they navigate the challenges of grief and loss in the digital age. This study sheds light on previously unexplored aspects of bereavement by examining the ways in which Filipino millennials use social media to cope with loss.