Impact of Instagram on Students
Authors: Mansi Kanojia, Nisha Siddiki, Yash Patil
Introduction:
In recent years, the popularity of social media platforms has revolutionised how individuals interact and consume content. Among these platforms, Instagram stands out as an omnipresent hub for sharing photos, videos, and stories. However, as its popularity has soared, concerns have emerged regarding its potential addictive nature, particularly among students. An excessive use of this platform can lead to various negative aspects in an individual’s life. This article delves into the effects of Instagram addiction on students, exploring its impact on mental health and academic performance.
Objective:
To study the Impact of Instagram among Students.
Review of Literature:
- Social media addiction and social media reactions
Zivnuska, et al (2019), examined the impact of social media interactions on three outcome variables: work-family balance, job performance, and job burnout. The study uses conservation of resources (COR) theory to propose that social media can be a resource drain and deplete personal resources such as emotional energy. The study found that social media reactions, such as anger or jealousy towards colleagues’ posts, can have an impact on employees’ attitudes towards work. Work-family balance and job performance were considered desirable outcomes, while job burnout was considered an undesirable outcome. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between social media addiction and reactions and how they impact these three outcome variables. The study acknowledges limitations that the data collection method used in the study may have caused the researchers to lose some control that might be present in a single organisation, where culture, industry, location, and other variables would likely be fully or mostly controlled.
- Social Media and mental health challenges
Srivastava, et al (2019), delves into the multifaceted relationship between social media usage and mental health, examining how excessive engagement with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can lead to various challenges. It explores the addictive nature of social media, discussing how individuals may become compulsively attached to their online personas, leading to negative impacts on their mental well-being. Additionally, the paper addresses the issue of cyberbullying and harassment on social media platforms, highlighting how these behaviours can significantly contribute to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues among users. It also discusses the phenomenon of social comparison, where individuals may experience feelings of inadequacy or low self-esteem when comparing their lives to the curated and often idealized representations of others on social media. Overall, the paper underscores the complex interplay between social media usage and mental health, advocating for increased awareness, research, and interventions to address the challenges and promote positive digital well-being.
Data collection:
For the above problem, we framed 5 questions to be answered on Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 where ‘1’ represents ‘Strongly Disagree’ and ‘5’ represents ‘Strongly Agree’. The data was collected from the students of Kohinoor Business School wherein a sample of 100 students were surveyed using google form. For each question, Mean, Standard Deviation, Standard Error and t-Stat were calculated.
Data analysis:
The table 1 depicts information on Mean, Standard Deviation, Standard Error and t-stat for the five questions in study. Out of these 5 questions, the t-stat value at 95% confidence level of questions 1, 2, 3 and 5 were found to be positive and question 4 to be neutral.
The interpretation was made on the basis of the values at 95% confidence level depicted in table 2
Table 1
|
Sr. No. |
Questions |
Mean |
Standard Deviation |
Standard Error |
t-stat |
Result |
|
1 |
Overuse of Instagram has given me stress. |
3.55 |
1.1 |
0.11 |
4.98 |
Positive |
|
2 |
Due to Instagram, there is a decrease in my productivity. |
3.75 |
1.14 |
0.11 |
6.53 |
Positive |
|
3 |
Overuse of Instagram makes me feel agitated. |
3.51 |
1.06 |
0.1 |
4.82 |
Positive |
|
4 |
Negative comments on my posts affects my mood. |
3.08 |
1.37 |
0.14 |
0.58 |
Neutral |
|
5 |
I fail to concentrate on my studies. |
3.63 |
1.23 |
0.12 |
5.13 |
Positive |
Table 2
|
Range of t-stat values |
Interpretation |
|
Greater than 1.96 |
Positive |
|
Between -1.96 and 1.96 |
Neutral |
|
Less than -1.96 |
Negative |
Conclusion:
Through our study we have found the following outcomes:
- Overuse of Instagram has given students stress.
- Due to Instagram, there is a decrease in students’ productivity.
- Overuse of Instagram makes students feel agitated.
- Negative comments on students’ posts affects their mood neutrally.
- Students fail to concentrate on their studies.
References:
Srivastava, K., Chaudhury, S., Prakash, J., & Dhamija, S. (2019). Social media and mental
health challenges. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 28(2), 155-159.
https://doi.org/10.4103/ipj.ipj_154_20
Zivnuska, S., Carlson, J. R., Carlson, D. S., Harris, R. B., & Harris, K. J. (2019). Social media addiction and social media reactions: The implications for job performance. Journal of Social Psychology, 159(6), 746–760. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2019.1578725