Running

head: FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA 1

First Year College Students Usage of Social Media: A quantitative study of the relationship

between social media usage and perceived campus connectivity

Maxie Holman

Bridgewater State University


FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA 2

Technology has developed in numerous ways and platforms of social media have grown

exponentially over the past decade (Williams, Crittenden, Keo, & McCarty, 2012). Social media

platforms are far reaching and can absorb an increasing amount of users time. Facebook is an

example that demonstrates widespread use as the surge in users now exceeds 1.1 billion users

(Chan, 2014). Williams et. al. (2012) states that the total of average use of all users on

Facebook is over 700 billion minutes per month. Users of Social media are sharing their

experiences and views through web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, podcast, discussion

boards, photos, and videos. Williams et. al. (2012) highlights that over 24 hours of video

footage is posted to YouTube in just one minute, and YouTube views exceed two billion per

day. Some call the developing social media phenomenon a communication explosion.

Being that there are so many users of social media, users of social media vary widely in

the ways in which they engage through this digital medium. Some use social media as a source

of information gathering. Others interact with each other through playing games. For a

subpopulation, social media is an outlet for meeting potential partners or dating interests. The

majority of users utilize social media platforms as a way of maintaing existing connections made

offline (Chan, 2014). With hundreds of social media platforms, what is certain about the future

is that users will be influenced by their experiences on social media and it will have impact on

the users social lives (Uusiautti & Mtt, 2014; Williams et. al., 2012).

Social Media is running rampant with particular populations. College age students are a

subsection of the population that most frequently use social media (Stocks, 2017). Williams et.

al. (2012) describe the current traditional (18-22 years old) college aged students as digital

natives. Current college students have grown up with technology allowing them to become

more technologically savvy than any generation. With the ability to have access to the digital

world growing up, technology has affected how this generation lives and socializes (Williams et.

al., 2012). One example of how changing technology has shaped college students behavior is

that, on a daily basis people will usually login to their Facebook account more frequently than

FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA 3

their e-mail (Wang, Madnick, Li, Alstott, & Velu, 2015). Behavior such as this indicates that the

informality of social media is the preferred form of communication of college age students.

The digital natives have shown that they prefer staying connected and multitasking with

technology (Williams, 2012). Uusiautti & Mtt (2014) results showed that students identified a

few main reasons in which they opt into using social media. The reasons identified by the

student participants included, social connections, maintaining relationships,

seeking/sharing/distribution of information, and general amusement. Williams et. al. (2012)

presented that 96% of students use Facebook and Twitter as social networking tools in efforts to

stay connected or make new connections with peers, family, and friends.

Chan (2014) researched college student social media use because Chan found college

students to be heavy users of social media who are more susceptible to the psychological and

social effects of their usage. Extensive social media usage may have a negative effect on the

user's real-life communications. High frequency of usage of social media among college age

students can increase longing for a sense of togetherness as well as happy experiences via the

social media (Chan, 2014). However, it is not proven that everyone experiences feelings of

communality from their social media interactions (Uusiautti & Mtt, 2014). Often people have

the perception that there is a trade off or loss of in-person relationship for students who use

social media to build online connections. In other words, the Internet causes people to avoid in

person social interactions and instead use social media as their only form of connectivity (Chan,

2014). Isolation such as this, can lead to feelings of loneliness, disconnection, and self doubt

(Stocks, 2017).

The digital natives are particularly aware of their digital image and are motivated to

portray themselves to others in a way that will gain social approval and/or avoid disapproval

from peers. Fearful of social rejection and scrutiny, people are chasing the next like or share

often avoiding the exposure of shortcomings or imperfect characteristics. This motivation to

maintain a particular digital image is intensified by the strong addictive nature of social media

FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA 4

(Chan, 2014). Time invested by users viewing and updating their social media can potentially

take the place of time engaging in real-life social activities. With the increased time spent on

social media a greater dependency on digital communication may develop and may cause the

user to have a decrease in empathy for others during real world interactions (Chan, 2014).

Deep social connections are shaped by strong social skills. Extroverts often have

mastered these skills and are able to emphasize their skills and utilize social media as a

supplementary method of campus connection (Chan, 2014). Not all students develop these

skills easily. For the digital natives who are focused on how others perceive them, users feel as

though they have control over their digital life. For some this sense of autonomy is empowering

(Chan, 2014). Students that struggle socially can benefit from using social media as a platform

for practice. Social media allows for the user to work on their development of social interaction

skills and expressing themselves through writing (Uusiautti & Mtt, 2014). Social media acts

as a mediator between the student and others. Chan (2014) advocates that social media frees

users from physical and psychological constraints of in-person conversations. There is no need

for immediate reply online. A delay between two-way communication, allows for improved

social skills and intentional engagement. The delay allows students to formulate an appropriate

response. Students who are shy, positively benefit from the more leveled playing field of social

media. Socializing through a computer screen gives shy students a perceived safer and less

threatening engagement outlet; an experimental ground for the practicing and refining of their

social interactions (Chan, 2014).

Contrary to Petersen & Johnston (2015) analysis which showed a weak relationship

between a students social status and high levels of Facebook and Twitter usage, Uusiautti &

Mtt (2014) state that high levels of social media usage can increase students social

capital. The opportunity for social bonding through social media is emphasized in Uusiautti &

Mtts 2014 study. The study revealed an enhanced bonding and communality amongst

FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA 5

participants. Students wellbeing and engagement to their academic studies was positively

impacted by the students social media usage (Uusiautti & Mtt, 2014).

Understanding how students engage with social media is important to the college.

Efforts have been made to use social media to connect with students and understand how

students are connecting with each other and the campus (Stocks, 2017). Williams et.al. (2012)

found that one way in which students would use social media on their campuses is to promote

campus events. College students are using a vast number of social media platforms at varying

levels of time and engagement. Over half of college students regularly publish, maintain, and

upload content on social media (Stocks, 2017). A smaller subsection of students identify as

spectators, avid readers of the social media ecosystem, digesting the content created by others

(Williams et.al., 2012). Not contributing in real life or digital life, many students take a backseat

further disengaging from the community around them.

Wang et. al. (2015) declares that most student social media users before connecting

digitally, know each other in real-life first. Preexisting relationships, mean that students are

engaging in their campus communities. The population of students that colleges often focus on

most as it relates to campus connectivity are the first year students. First year students are the

entering class at the university. Some may be more familiar with the older term freshman,

which speaks to the same population of students. First Year is the term more popularly used

because it removes the gendered terminology and opens the definition to include transfer

students (Stocks, 2017). This focus on first year students is motivated by retention efforts and

the want for new students to have a successful academic experience (Stocks, 2017). According

to Williams et. al. (2012) the younger college age students, such as first year students, use

social media at a higher rates, on a greater variety of social media platforms. Knowing that first

year students are more likely to use social media, this research study focuses on the first year

student population.

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Chan (2014) researched the ways in which social media enhances or suppresses

interpersonal competence. Although Chans (2014) research discusses the affect social media

has on users social connectedness with one another, how social media changes the ways

people interact with one another, more research is needed on interpersonal engagement on

college campuses. Petersen & Johnston (2015), state that usage of social media is correlated

with student satisfaction of their university life. They suggest that if students are experiencing

low satisfaction at their university, then the student should increase their social media

usage. This increased usage is believed to have a positive impact on the student's connectivity

(Petersen & Johnston, 2015). Despite numerous studies of online and social media research,

very few studies have investigated the impacts of social media usage on college age students

life satisfaction and engagement (Chan, 2014). This study will explore this topic further, focusing

specifically on first year students social media usage and the relationship to perceived campus

connectivity.

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Research Question: Is there a significant difference in self-perceived campus connectivity of

First Year students based on weekly levels of social media usage?

Null Hypothesis: There is no significant difference in the levels of first year college students use

of social media and their perceived campus connectivity.

H0: 1 = 2= 3

Alternative Hypothesis: There is a significant difference in the levels of first year college

students use of social media and their perceived campus connectivity.

HA: 1 2

1 3

2 3

IV= 1st year College students usage:

0-2 hours a week (low frequency)

3-6 hours a week (medium frequency)

7+ hours a week (high frequency)

DV= Perceived connectivity with university


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REFERENCES

Chan, T. H. (2014). Facebook and its Effects on Users' Empathic Social Skills and Life

Satisfaction: A Double-Edged Sword Effect. Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social

Networking, 17(5), 276-280. doi:10.1089/cyber.2013.0466

Petersen, C., & Johnston, K. A. (2015). The Impact of Social Media Usage on the

Cognitive Social Capital of University Students. Informing Science, 181-30.

Stocks, R. (2017). The Source I Needed. Journal Of Fake References, 6(18), 19-92.

Uusiautti, S., & Mtt, K. (2014). I am no longer alone How do university students

perceive the possibilities of social media?. International Journal Of Adolescence &

Youth, 19(3), 293-305. doi:10.1080/02673843.2014.919600

Wang, J., Madnick, S., Li, X., Alstott, J., & Velu, C. (2015). Effect of Media Usage

Selection on Social Mobilization Speed: Facebook vs E-Mail. Plos ONE, 10(10), 1-12.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0134811

Williams, D. L., Crittenden, V. L., Keo, T., & McCarty, P. (2012). The use of social media:

an exploratory study of usage among digital natives. Journal Of Public Affairs

(14723891), 12(2), 127-136. doi:10.1002/pa.1414

(Note that this lititure review was an acidemic exercise and not all references are peer reviewed sources)