Adolescent Use of Social Media
Kati Hoover
Problem Statement
This paper will look at why and how adolescents from the ages of thirteen through eighteen use social media websites (including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube). Along with use of anything, really, there are usually side effects. By also examining the effects social media has on adolescents, we can better understand why this particular age group uses it so heavily. This kind of information could potentially aide in the creation of new social media sites that would be better geared towards the adolescent age group.
Justification
- Investigate habits of using social media
- Find how adolescents are using social media in a specific school district to help teachers/adults understand why it is used so much
Lit Review
- Majority of teens are "wired"
- More than half of adolescents who have a SNS account access it more than once every day
- In one study, 3.5 out of 5 criteria was met for addiction in regards to SNS
- In more rural settings, they usually gain access to the technology later than other areas
- In more rural settings, it was shown that SNS users access the site half as much as users who live in a more populated area
Study Approach
Questionnaire
- Online
- Paper (only sent to achieve needed sample size)
Interviews
- Individual student interviews
- Group studies