DIGITAL SELF_2

THE USE AND

EFFECTS OF SOCIAL
MEDIA
INTRODUCTION

DIGITAL SELF

The digital self is the persona you use when you’re online. Some people maintain one or more
online identities that are distinct from there “real world” selves:, others have a single online self that’s
more or less the same as the one they inhabit in the real world (Evonomie, 2018). In attempt to share
that self with the world, we engage our decoy selves to manage the day today anxieties and challenges
that come before us (Tamara, 2010).
SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is a computer-based technology that facilitates the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and
information through the building of virtual networks and communities. By design, social media is
internet-based and gives users quick electronic communication of content. Content includes personal
information, documents, videos and photos. Users engage with social media via computer, tablet or
smartphones, via web-based, software or web applications, often utilizing it for messaging (Dollarhide,
2019).
Definition of Terms:
Degree of use
Refers to the rate or how often something is used.

Demographic Characteristics
Refers to the socioeconomic characteristics of a population expressed statistically,
such as age, sex, education level, income level, marital status, occupation, religion, birth rate,
death rate, average size of the family, average age of a marriage.

Self – concept
Refers to an idea of the self constructed to the beliefs one holds about oneself and the
responses of others.
Data Gathering Procedure :
The group randomly selected
one hundred students of Eastern
Visayas State University as the
respondents to answer the survey
questionnaire. The respondents are
from different course, different year
levels and with different age.
 Distribution of Respondents by Gender

47%
1
53%

Males Females
 Distribution of Respondents by Age
Age Frequency Percentage
18 11 11%
19 37 37%
20 24 24%
21 9 9%
22 13 13%
23 3 3%
24 2 2%
Table 1: Age of Respondents
 Distribution of Respondents by Course
Course Number of Respondents Percentage
BSIT 13 13%
BSED-MATH 11 11%
BSA 11 11%
BSES 9 9%
BSE 8 8%
BAEL 7 7%
BSHR 6 6%
BCAED 5 5%
BTVTED 5 5%
BSCE 4 4%
BSED-TLE 4 4%
BSME 3 3%
BS-ECON 3 3%
BSHM 3 3%
BSINT 2 2%
BS MECH-RACH 2 2%

BSND 2 2%

BSF 2 2%

Table 2: Courses of Respondents

Distribution of Respondents by Year Level
Year Level Frequency Percentage

1st Year 72 72%

2nd Year 1 1%

3rd Year 19 19%

4th Year 8 8%

Table 3: Year Level of Respondents

 Presentation of Data

DEGREE OF USE OF SOCIAL

MEDIA
1.

Percentage of Respondents
Who Use Social Media
The data revealed that
100 percent of the respondents use
social media. This indicates that
the majority of the students have
their own technology facilities to

100% access internet and social media.

This depicts that many
students are exposed to social

media through technology.

Number of Students
 Table 4: Social Networking Sites Use
by Respondents
The current study found
Social Media Frequency Percentage that the majority of the respondents
use Facebook as a social media. This
Facebook 99 99% indicates that social media facilitates
Google 70 70% communication among college
Instagram 50 50% students when they express
themselves by posting status
Twitter 41 41% updates, links, videos and photos. It
SnapChat 23 23% also allows them to follow others’
Tumblr 8 8% online presence by keeping track of
regular updates about their family,
Others (Youtube) 5 5% friends classmates, and
acquaintances (Smock et al., 2011).
WhatsApp 4 4%
WeChat 2 2%
MySpace 0 0%
Table 4 shows that the most used social media platform was Facebook with
(99%),followed by Google (70%), Instagram (50%), Twitter (41%), Snapchat (23%),
Tumbler (8%), What’s App (4%), We Chat (2%). Others include Youtube with (5%).
 Table 5: Reasons of Using Social Media

Reasons of Using Social Media Frequency Percentage The current study found that students use social
media mainly because it’s great for staying
connected with family, friends and to share
Connect with Friends and Families 90 90% interesting and important aspects of their lives, to
find study materials or topics. Second, it could be
expected that students would actively participate
Studying 83 83% in social media to experience connectedness and
happiness (Valkenburg, Peter, & Schouten, 2006).
Making Friend 70 70% Therefore, college students with lower levels of life
satisfaction could seek to participate in online
Socialize Online 61 61% networks to increase their personal well being
(Ellison et al., 2007). Finally, students use social
Playing Games 53 53% media for playing games. For example, one study
found that online social games are becoming a
significant component in today’s social media sites.
Online Interest Sharing 46 46%
The social networking sites environment has
provided a platform for online games to develop
Remain Updated 39 39% and expand in the virtual medium
(Aburahmah,2016).
Online Dating 9 9%

Others (Just browsing) 3 3%

Table 5 reveals that 90% of the respondents use social media to connect with families and
friends; 83% used social media to study; 70% used social media to make friends; 61%
used social media to socialize online; 53% used social media to play games; 46% used
social media to share online interest; 39% used social media to remain updated; 9% used
social media to date online. Others include “just browsing” with 3%.
Table 6: How Often Respondents Use Social
Media

How Often
Respondents Use Frequency Percentage
Social Media The current study found that
majority of the respondents
Everyday 71 71% use social media everyday. This
indicates that students are
2-4 times each always active and want to be
18 18%
week updated on their social media
5-6 times a week 5 5%
accounts.

Once every week 3 3%

Once a month 2 2%

Once every 2
1 1%
weeks

Table 6 shows that 71% of the respondents used social media Everyday; 18% used social
media 2-4 times each week; 5% used social media 5-6 times each week; 3% used social
media once every week; 2% used social media once a month; 1% used social media once
every 2 weeks.
 Table 7: Time Spent in Using
Social Media

Time Spent in
Using Social Frequency Percentage The current study found that majority of
Media the respondents were average users of social media.
According to O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson (2011) The
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) classify time
1-2 hours 39 39%
spent on social networking sites (SNS) into three
categories as high use (more than 2 hours), average use
(30 minutes to 2 hours) and low use (less than 30
2-3 hours 24 24%
minutes). In supporting the current findings, there are
several reasons why it is expected to find that the
More than 5 student estimated daily average time spent on social
21 21%
hours media is more than 30 minutes. College students have
reached a stage in their lives when they spend most of
3-4 hours 9 9% their leisure time alone, free from parental control and
independently explore the world which gives them a
chance to make media choices that are not constrained
Less than an hour 5 5% by others (Larson, 1990).

4-5 hours 2 2%

Table 7 shows that 39% of the respondents spent 1-2 hours on social
media; 21% of the respondents spent more than 5 hours; 9% of the
respondents spent 3- 4 hours; 5% of the respondents spent less than
an hour; 2% of the respondents spent 4-5 hours on social media.
Table 8: Extent of Effects of Using Social Media

Extent of Effects of
Frequency Percentage
Using Social Media

The current study found that

Slightly Affecting 45 45% social media usage of college
students has the potential to
affect their grades, social skills
Seriously Helping 19 19%
and time management, but it
could be negative or positive.
Seriously Affecting 17 17%

Slightly Helping 13 13%

No Impact 6 6%

Table 8 shows that 45% of the respondents answered slightly affecting;

19% answered seriously helping, 17% answered seriously affecting; 13%
answered slightly helping; 6% answered no impact.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the findings the researchers concluded the following :
• The researchers concluded that social media has become a norm in our society,
with websites like Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter and many more holding a
unique and vital role in our daily lives.
• The researchers concluded that the results have demonstrated that the
respondents of Eastern Visayas State University college students preferred to use
Facebook for social activities such as connecting to their families and friends,
making friends, to socialize online and remain updated, online interest sharing
and followed by Google for studying. The majority of the respondents engaged in
social media for 1- 2 hours per day. The results also showed that most of the
respondents found social media slightly affecting them to the extent that they
checked their social media sites before doing something else, but it also affect
them in a positive way whereas they can keep in contact with their families and
companions in great distance and to obtain information regarding to their
studies.
• The researchers concluded that this study makes a significant contribution to
understanding college students’ use of social media and it’s impacts on their
social lives.
RECOMMENDATION:
Based on the findings, this study concentrated on students. It is
recommended that future researchers ought to include more divergent
and larger samples of varying student demographic characteristics.
Other areas of research worth seeking include the impact of social
media on students academic performance and self- concept.
References:
Aburahmah, L. (2016). Online social gaming and networking sites.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050916300254).
Ellison, W.B. et al., (2007). The benefits of Facebook Friends: Social Capital and College
Students Use of Online Social Network Sites. Journal of Computer Mediated Communication,
12(4), 1143-1168.
Evonomie, . (2018). Your Digital Self: How to present yourself online.
(http://www.evonomie.net/2018/07/03/digital-self-/your-digital-self-how-to-present-
yourself-online).
Larson, R.W. (1990). The Solitary Side of Life: An examination of the time people spends alone
from childhood to old age. Developmental Review, 10(2), 155-183.
O’Keefe, G.S, & Clarke- Pearson, (2011). The Impact of Social Media on Children, adolescents,
and families. Pediatrics, 127(4),800-804.
Smock,A.D. et al. (2011). Facebook as a toolkit: A uses and gratification approach to
unbundling feature use. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(6), 2322-2329.
(http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2011.07.011).
Tamara, J. (2010). Understanding and Creating Your Digital Self
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-digital-
self/201008/understanding-and-creating-your-digital-self)
Valkenburg, P.M. Peter,J. & Schouten, A.P. (2006). Friend Networking Sites and Their
Relationship to adolescents, well-being and social self-esteem. Cyber Psychology & Behavior
9(5), 584-590.
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