Exploring the link between social impacts and psychological drivers of smartphone use: A survey-based analysis among Ajman University students

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the extent of youth preference for smartphone platforms, the psychological motives for their use, the negative effects of their use, and the relationship between psychological motives and negative social influences. The descriptive approach and field survey methods were used to collect data from a sample of 297 male and female students at Ajman University. The study found that Instagram was the most-followed platform, with a follow-up rate of 39.7, followed by WhatsApp, Facebook, and, finally, YouTube. The motivation to get rid of boredom ranked first, with an arithmetic mean of 3.49 and a standard deviation of 1.10, while the motivation to get rid of depression ranked last, with an arithmetic mean of 2.49 and a standard deviation of 1.10. The results on differences in the adverse social effects of smartphone use showed that Instagram and Facebook followers were more likely than YouTube followers to experience these effects. The study also found a positive, statistically significant correlation between psychological motivations for smartphone use and negative social influences. The study recommended enabling heads of households and counselors to control the times and types of viewing for children and youth, developing awareness-raising plans and programs, and deepening research into ways to confront the harmful negative social influences resulting from excessive use of smartphones, programs, and applications.