CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter shall establish a review of related literature about how social media

addiction has affected students negatively. This aims to further elaborate the independent and

dependent variables of the problem into a deeper understanding and knowledge to provide the

researchers’ own information, concepts and solutions.

Social Media Addiction

The 21st century is known where the Internet and Social Media increased rapidly among

the society. Social media has always been there to make everyone connected, but people

nowadays rely on it for almost everything. Social media addiction is defined as a one form of

Internet addiction, where individuals exhibit a compulsion of using social media excessively and

uncontrollably similar of using drugs (Griffiths, 2000). Individuals who experience social media

addiction are frequently overly concerned about social media and are driven by an

uncontrollable urge to log on to and use social media in which it impairs social activities

and the well-being (Andreassen, 2015). As a matter of fact, it is estimated that over 210 million

people suffer from internet and social media addictions worldwide, where teens can spend 5

hours on their devices (Asano, 2018). According to Hilliard (2021), addiction to social media

could have effects similar to any substance disorder such as, Salience or change of behavior or

emotion due to social media, Tolerance or frequent use of social media, Withdrawal Symptoms

or experiencing displeasing behaviour when the use of social media is restricted, Conflict or

arising problems due to social media such as procrastination, and Relapse or instantly going back

to excessive use of social media after doing something or an abstinence period. With this, it is
not impossible that the use of social media excessively could result to poor academic

performance. This has led to reasons why the majority of the students are facing conflict when it

comes to their academic assessments at school.

Social Media Platforms

In today’s world, the variables on why social media is addicting is because children can

now easily access the Internet and social media applications from many different entry points,

including iPads, Tablets, Desktops, Laptops, and smartphones. Children are able to play different

kinds of games that are very addicting that can affect their academic performances. Social media

platforms provide the opportunity for people to connect with others, as well as to record their

various activities on a digital canvas that is for all to see. In effect, members of emerging online

communities have an increased capacity to share ideas that are more for the common good than

for personal gain, as well as determine which people should be invited to participate.

Form of Entertainment

One of the variables on why social media is addicting, especially among teenagers, is as

an entertainment to ease boredom. Legatt (2011) stated that the number of individuals who are

using the internet has increased for they believe that social media is a greater source of

entertainment instead of watching television or movies. When using social media, the brain

releases dopamine which is the reason why people always want to repeat on being exposed to

their devices. The dopamine acts as a reward when users engage to positive feedback for

instance, that could lead to addiction. This can also be explained according to the gratification

theory that is linked with human’s relationship to social media. This is to help them sustain their
emotional and mental needs such as an escape from tensions and stress or escapism (JonKane,

2015). This gratifications theme is defined as using social media to occupy time and relieve

boredom. Additionally, this is defined to provide entertainment and enjoyment. With these, it can

be formed in the mind that social media was built for individual’s entertainment and as a way to

escape reality.

Non-Academic Platforms

Non-academic platforms or mostly the computer games are the most popular

entertainments in modern societies and they target a variety of people in different ages but

mostly teenagers or students engage in this kind of activity. The addiction to the rivalry and

excitement of the games make them the most common recreational programs for today's

teenagers, so that they do anything to reach a higher level of the game, they immerse in the game

so much that they completely separate from their surroundings and sometimes forget their school

activities and other important stuff they need to do. Challenging with the obstacles and reaching

a higher level in the game, make the players excited and losing the game make them anxious

(Zamani, 2009). That effect can also lead to digital game addiction which can be defined with

actions such as associating the game played with real life, not being able to fulfill the

responsibilities due to time allocated for the game and the importance of the game in the mind,

preferring to play game instead of other responsibilities and the individual’s not being able to

prevent himself from doing otherwise.(Yayman,2020)

According to Darren Humber (2015), when describing a learning platform it is sensible to

start with the platform as a part of the question. During a very traditional sense a platform may

be a raised level. During this context consider a platform as a base layer of something that
already exists, on which students will build something else. Edbull (2020) claimed that these

days, understudy adores to memorize non-academic courses in conjunction with think about.

Nowadays companies give openings to those understudies who have graduated from rumored

colleges and other aptitudes as well. A great degree is imperative for great occupations but for

advancement and increment in salary, students should know how to work shrewdly. Not as it

we’re a work but if students had gotten the most excellent information of other are like move,

singing, and after that students make their future in this field. Most of the understudy gets

confounded after 10th and 12th that what ought to they do following since they don’t have any

other abilities to develop themselves.

Unlimited Usage

The endless scrolling is one feature of social media platforms to keep individuals stick to

their mobile phones and continue using the app. Statistics show that teenagers can use social

media for more than 3 hours a day which is associated why most of them are awake even at

12pm (“Heavy social media use linked to poor sleep,” 2019). Furthermore, the free websites and

videos that contain unlimited pages and updates are the reason why individuals have a hard time

resisting social media (Crawford, 2014). Social media apps are designed to be addictive.

Companies earn larger profit whenever users spend much longer time on social media which is

why it is designed to be appealing. Also, the additional features such as notifications, layout of

the apps, likes and refresh options are among the reasons for individuals to frequently check and

use their mobile phones (Collins, 2020). Hence, this current generation society must adjust

themselves when it comes to new devices and technologies in order to obtain a proper balance in

life.
Sleep Deprivation

Social media addiction had created sleep deprivation among the students. Access to new

information can be delightful. However when you're trying to get a preferable amount of sleep,

too much information can keep your mind racing. You might get distressed or distraught by

something you just read or saw. Or the content you see is just too engrossing, and you have a

hard time putting your gadget away. You are exposed to bright light when addicted to social

media. Electronics: 62% of parents and 45% of kids have a TV in their bedroom, 45% of parents

and 30% of kids have a tablet or smartphone, 26% of parents and 21% of kids have a computer

(McLaren Hospitals, 2015). Looking through social media, sending emails, or browsing at the

news before bed may keep us awake, as nighttime use of electronics can affect sleep through the

stimulating-effects of light from digital screens. The influence of blue light exposure may be

worse for those who wake up to check their phone after falling asleep. Approximately 21% of

adults say that they wake up to check their phone during the night, which puts them at an even

higher risk of losing sleep and developing a sleep disorder like insomnia (Rob Newsom, 2020).

Low Academic Assessments

Social media addiction would often show results to a lower retention rate and a drop in

attention span among youths. There will be continuous noises on such apps that students end up

on spending most of their time checking their favorite blogger or influencer. When students use

social media too much, the use of slang or shorthand will become habitual. This will lead to a

horrible performance in academic writing assignments like research papers and examinations.

When a student goes accustomed to social media, they will rely too much on it. As a result, it
will negatively affect many students’ research skills which ends up hurting them in their

professional lives (Alex Womack, 2020). A large amount of studies have been carried out on the

issue of negative effects of social media on students' academic performance. Studies concluded

that many students have gotten addicted to social media with various consequences. Students

who give their attention more on virtual life have less time to spend on their studies. They

typically demonstrate lower academic performance, attend smaller quantities of lessons, submit

their assignments late, subsequently they have lower self-confidence. The studies resulted in

disturbing findings: even though the Internet can be used as a powerful educational tool for

contacting peers and exchanging ideas and materials, grades of students addicted to social media

worsened and their academic performance diminishes (Staff Reporter, 2020).

Low Level of Concentration

The increasing number of students experiencing social media addiction had led to the

impacts that affected their academic performance at school horribly. Popular social media

platforms have affected students to have lower marks and poor concentration. Internet is stated to

be an enormous and a difficult distraction to handle with that results to being unproductive

(Davis, 2020). Additionally, according to Litsa (2014), social media is associated with short

attention span and short term memory. Social media attention span changes the brain by being

able to multi task, being uncontrollably bound to social media apps, checking emails or

messages, and being able to second screen habit. The new reality has been a challenge to every

single one of us that is why the urge to adapt quickly is significant to cope with different kinds of

obstacles mostly affecting the mental health.

Procrastination

Social media has always been there to make everyone connected, but people nowadays

rely on it for almost everything. 85 to 90% of the students' population suffer from

procrastination, and one of its main reasons is social media. They see it as very addicting to the

point they forget what they need to do, as a junior has stated (Orthbandt, 2019). Their

procrastination affects their academic performance because the quality they give to academic

duties is not what it should be or can be (Ohea, 2019). A math teacher also believes that

procrastination has gone up. They lose interest in academic duties that causes them to see social

media as an alternate solution to ease boredom. The students that are most concerned with

his/her social media accounts are the ones who procrastinate the most. The more social media

accounts you have on different platforms, the more time you spend not doing your assigned

academic duties. Students are often being advised to have their schedule followed and organised.

(Evaaudrey, 2017) Procrastination also is considered to be a self-control failure (Steel, 2007) that

causes students to intentionally delay important tasks. Social media is not a good partner with

multitasking, it is a tempting alternative activity for students.

Synthesis of the Review

The above collection of different sources presenting each independent and dependent

variable provides information and theories that their proposed study has similarities with other
literature which is widely used. As stated, social media addiction could greatly affect individuals

and students’ academic performance negatively. The cause and effects are evident results on why

this problem has been a major issue among students.

The related literature could further enhance this study into a much deeper knowledge

with relevant statistics. This could inform Grade 10 students to decrease their usage to social

media in order to focus more on their academic performances. Hence, it would result in better

academic assessments at school and success in the future.

References:

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Andreassen, C. S. (2015). Online social network site addiction: A comprehensive review.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40429-015-0056-9

Charles Crawford. (2014, December 9). 23 Reasons Why People Spend More Time On Social

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Charles Patrick Davis. (2020, June 5). Managing Concentration Killers: Smartphones, Social

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