From Likes to Life: The Influence of Social Media on Higher Education Students' Social Behaviors

Abstract

This scholarly investigation examines the impact of social media on the social behaviors of students in higher education, with particular emphasis on cooperation, altruism, empathy, and feelings of loneliness. The objectives of the research are to (1) Analyze the patterns of social media usage among university students and (2) Asses the correlation between social media participation and social behaviors. Utilizing a qualitative methodological framework, this study implemented thematic analysis to derive insights from students’ viewpoints. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select a cohort of 40 students from a total population of 220 individuals enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed. Hons.) Elementary program at UAJK JV Campus. Thematic analysis, adhering to Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase framework, was utilized to identify prevalent themes within the participants' responses. The results indicate that social media assumes a bifurcated function in the modulation of students' social conduct. While it cultivates collaboration, compassion, and altruism through virtual participation, collective learning, and emotional reinforcement, it concurrently engenders social seclusion and heightened sensations of loneliness attributable to the predominance of online interactions supplanting authentic social experiences. The research underscores the imperative for a judicious approach to social media engagement, championing digital literacy programs that facilitate substantive online interactions whilst alleviating adverse social repercussions.