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Serina Brown

Professor Castro

Engl 1301-281

9 Feb 2024

Social Media and its Impact on the Productivity of College Students

Abstract

The use of social media has rapidly increased in the last decade, especially among the

younger generations. Social media provides university students, in particular, with an easily

accessible platform to create, share, and watch content. It allows for quick social interactions

sans the need to be face-to-face with another person. On the other hand, research suggests that

social media may also have an addicting effect that leads to poor concentration, poor time

management, and, in consequence, low productivity levels. Additionally, social media gives

people quick, short-lived feelings of euphoria that can also be addicting and lead to dysphoria in

the absence of social media. Recently, a student who habitually spends about an hour to two

hours a day on social media set a limit on their phone for the recommended 30 minutes (Riehm

Kira et al.) for three days. The study draws a correlation between boundless social media use and

productivity levels.

Introduction

Humans are inherently social beings that rely on social interactions to survive and thrive.

Blacklinko reports that as of October 2023, the number of people using social media worldwide

was over 4.95 billion, approximately 61.4% of the world’s population. The same could be said

about the United States of America, where 90.9% of the population uses the internet, and 72.5%

of Americans use social media (Dean Brian). Furthermore, the average American checks their
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mobile device over 150 times and spends 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media daily. Popular

social media platforms in the United States in order of popularity are Facebook, Instagram,

TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, and X (formerly known as Twitter) (Howarth Josh).

While social media covers all age groups, Millennials and GenZ are the primary users.

This is to be expected, given the many ways social media can be utilized in education. For

example, students can use social media for collaborative learning, contacting professors, and

locating and sharing resources and materials. These social media applications can all positively

impact students' academic performance (Alawan Nasser 9767-9789).

Regardless of the benefits, unrestricted social media use can damage students' academic

performance. For instance, social media propagates a form of anxiety in young people known as

the “fear of missing out” or FOMO. Social media sites build on this anxiety by luring users in

and compelling them to visit the platform consistently, even if it means neglecting their other

commitments (Bergman Matthew). This fear of being out of the loop keeps young people

checking their phones to ensure they are not missing out on trends or pop culture news.

Additionally, people use social media accounts to curate their highlight reels. People only post

the best or most exaggerated parts of their lives, and continuously seeing this content can compel

young, impressionable people to compare themselves to others.

Lastly, most social media sites are designed to be addictive due to the seemingly endless

amounts of content. Doomscrolling, a term to describe endlessly scrolling, causes our brains to

produce high dopamine levels – the “feel good” chemical connected to enjoyable activities such

as eating food, earning money, and socializing. High dopamine levels are linked to anxiety,

excessive energy, sleeplessness, and hallucinations, whereas low dopamine levels correspond

with mood swings, brain fog, and muscle spasms (Dellwo Adrienne). Scrolling on social media
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activates the “reward center” in the brain, which releases dopamine and encourages people to

continue scrolling. While the obvious solution might be to “just put the phone down,” that is

much easier said than done. Because people get “addicted” to their phones, when they are not

able to use them, they will exhibit irritability, anxiety, and discomfort – similar to the symptoms

of withdrawal.

The conversation surrounding social media is very nuanced and should be handled

carefully. Attempts to frame social media as all “good” or all “bad” are irresponsible and fail to

encompass the bigger picture. How social media affects an individual or a group depends on

their behavior and attitude toward social media. Using a university student as a case study, this

paper presents findings on the link between social media usage and overall productivity. By

cutting their daily social media usage down from two hours to 30 minutes for three days, the

student could observe and document differences in mood and productivity.

Experiment design

A student who typically spends at least two hours daily doom-scrolling was asked to limit

their social media usage to the recommended 30 minutes for three days. At the end of each day,

the student was to document changes in mood, productivity, and overall well-being. The student

was also to consider how much they socialized and how busy they were each day. Additionally,

noting any challenges or benefits experienced during the experiment provided valuable insights

into the impact of reduced social media usage. This experiment made the correlation between

time spent on social media and academic performance clear.

Experiment results

Day 1
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The first day of the experiment was the most difficult. The student reported feeling

annoyed by the time limit in addition to constant boredom due to the lack of constant mental

stimulation. On the other hand, the student instantly noticed that they were sleeping better and

were more inclined to get work done. Because the student was aware of the time limit, they were

forced to be mindful of when they scrolled on social media. When boredom arose, they found

other ways to entertain themselves, such as reading, drawing, and talking with friends.

Day 2

On the second day, the student once again reported getting a good night's sleep and

feeling more productive. However, the boredom did persist, and it was found that the less social

interaction one has, the more one is compelled to scroll on one's phone. Likewise, the less the

student used their phone, the more they interacted with others. Additionally, the student had a

smaller workload on day two, so while they were productive when the work was done, they felt

the urge to start scrolling again.

Day 3

By the third day, the student had made some peace with the time limit and found other

ways to entertain themselves. However, the student did report feeling anxiety and “FOMO”

surrounding not being able to check their social media as often. They often felt as if they were

“falling behind” regarding trends and pop culture news. On a more positive note, productivity

levels were at their highest.

Conclusion

When used responsibly, social media can be beneficial and positively impact a student’s

academic performance. However, excessive social media use can detrimentally impact moods

and productivity. The constant consumption of content often leads to unfavorable comparisons
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and triggers feelings of inadequacy. Additionally, the addictive nature of scrolling can contribute

to reduced focus and productivity. Finding a healthy balance is crucial; mindful social media

consumption provides a space to form connections without compromising well-being or work

efficiency. Establishing boundaries can counteract undesirable effects and foster a healthier

relationship with social media.

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