Excessive Use of Social Media Essay Sample
In the modern world, the methods of communication have improved significantly. The social media are the latest developments that have revolutionized communication (Boyd & Ellison, n.d.). In one way or the other, the social media have played a big stake in making the world a global village. People can communicate with one another within a span of minutes (Bullas, 2014). People from different places have come to know each other through the social media. The use of social media has had significant negative impacts on people’s lives as well (Madden et al., 2014). Many people are using the social media excessively. Initially, the youths were the greatest victims of this trend; however, even the adults are not spared from this trend. People are excessively using social media, and they can only be termed as social media addicts. The paper explores an exseive use of social media among the youths in the urban areas.
Background
There has been a revolution in the social media. The emergence of WhatsUp, Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace signified the great changes that have taken place (Madden et al., 2014). The revolutions have also attracted a lot of users. The trend has changed since the time when a person used to be a member of only one social media. In the modern world, people are members of more than one social network (Stillman, 2014). This has eventually promoted a high dependence on social media. People are using the social media excessively. Although the adults are also affected by the issue, the situation with the youths is worse. They spend their time on social media without realizing how this affects them (Dube, 2012). The numerous effects resulting from this are unmentionable. The social media forms an integral part of human lives. Are the youths in urban areas using the social media excessively, and what are the significant impacts that emanate from this?
Literature Review
Many researchers have carried out extensive investigations on social media. According to Bryan C. Auday and Sybil W. Coleman, there has been an increase in the use of social media in the last few years. This could be related to the advancements in the information technology (Auday & Coleman, 2009). These researchers focused on the study in which they assessed the use of social media among the students from an evangelical college. Their key aims were to assess how the students use the social media and to evaluate the possible impacts that emanate from the use of it (Auday & Coleman, 2009). The researchers utilized questionnaires that were sent via email to each student. The results that they obtained indicated that the majority of students spent significant hours on social media. Others spent 3 to 7 hours. The researchers also discovered that an excessive use of social media has significant impacts, such as psychological, social, and others (Dewing, 2010). These students risk missing important stges of their lives, as social media dominates their mind.
Other researchers, such as Daria J. Kuss and Mark D. Griffiths, found that the use of social media has taken an upward trend (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011). In their research, they found out that a large number of people are using the social media. The users are ranging from adults to youths. Their research also reveals why people use social media. Some people use social media in order to keep in touch with close friends, while others use it to be able to create new connections. The teenagers argued that they had to comment on various posts, as well as update the news sections (“Global Social Network,” 2014). Other authors also revealed that the excessive use of social media is caused by the gratification, as well as obtaining satisfaction (Cabral, n.d.). People want to establish close relations with friends, and this is easily done through interconnectivity. Moreover, people want to maintain relevancy in their groups (Greenaway, 2014). People realize that there is much content in the social media, but they do not know how it can lead to a serious addiction, similar to the one caused by alcohol (DeLisi, n.d.).
Social media are appetitive and interesting, and this is why many people have turned out to be the addicts of social media. Other researchers carried out their investigations on the basis statement that people engage in social media in order to to relieve problems (Cabral, n.d.). The main assumption was that psychological problems, such as depression and loneliness, are the greatest contributors to joining social media. Individuals who have these conditions cannot socialize well and thus end up being social media addicts (Das &Sahoo, n.d.). Unfortunately, these people do not get a relief of their problems but end up developing even more social problems that are, in the end, affecting them negatively (Dube, 2012). The excessive use of social media affects people in the studying and working processes, as well as in the normal life. Therefore, these individuals experience more problems in life than before. They are isolated from the normal social interactions and became lonelier (Dewing, 2010).
The different studies have some similarities. The studies reveal that people are continuously engaging in social media activities and are excessively using the social media. The studies also reveal that the excessive use of social media has a significant impact on the life of an individual. Issues of time management, as well as affected social life, are common for social media addicts (Kim, LaRose, & Peng, 2009). The various studies are also different in terms of their methodology and the areas covered. This paper is devoted to a research area that emanates from the research gap that the different resercahers have not tackled. It was never explored how urban youths use social media and how it affects them.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to identify how the urban youths use the social media. The research will also identify the influence of the social media use.
Key Objectives
To identify the number of hours that youths spend on social media.
To identify the significant impacts that excessive use of social media has on youths.
Methodology
The study will utilize both qualitative and quantitative methods. The questionnaires will be prepared, in order to obtain quantitative data on the number of hours that the youths spend on social media. Secondary sources will be also reviewed in the research. This will also provide the possibility to collect vital information on the number of social sites that the youths have joined. On the other hand, qualitative methods will be used to engage the youths on a personal level to get the respondents’ opinion and view on why the social media are used.
The Limitations of the Study
The research relies on the opinion that the respondents may be cheating so as to please the interviewer.
Purpose Of the Study
The purpose of the study is to identify the impacts of social media on youths in the urban areas. The main idea is to examine how an excessive use of social media has affected the individuals under investigation.
The Key Hypothesis
The number of youths who use social media is higher than those who do not.
Results
More than 50 percent of all the youths examined are on social media. A significant proportion of this population also indicated that they spend more than two hours daily on social media (Bullas, 2014). Most of the respondents are also members of more than one social media. The negative impacts that are related to the excessive use of social media are enormous in this group. Some do not have enough sleep due to being active in the social media till late hours (Cabral, n.d.). Time management is another key issue presented by the group. The youths have issues with managing their time well (Rouse, 2014). As long as the significant propotion of time is spent on social media, there is less time for other activities (Stelzner, 2014). The youths do not finish assignments on time due to the situation described above (Pernisco, 2010). The youths’ school performance is also at risk; it has taken a downward trend, since the studies are not taken seriously. Their social activities have also declined, and they are no longer interested in outdoor activities, as it was before.
Significance of the Study
This study touches on a very important segment of people’s lives. It touches on social media as one of the emerging issues in our society today. The study is of a great significance to the whole society. It reveals the challenges that the youths are facing due to the continued use of social media. The study will be of a big significance to professionals such as counselors, because it will help them in addressing the key issues that affect the youths who are social media addicts. Moreover, it reveals to the youths the significant impacts of an excessive use of social media so that they can change.
References
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