SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION AND ITS EFFECT TO THE

SELECTED STUDENTS OF BACHELOR OF ART IN

COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOR IN SCHOOL

A Research Proposal
Presented to the
Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences
Batangas State University 
ARASOF-Nasugbu
Nasugbu, Batangas

In Partial Fulfilment of the

Requirements for the Subject 
COMM 105 – Communication Theory

by

NAMES OF MEMBERS:

Cj R. Boaquin
Allaine Joy Catapang
Jhon Alexis G. Duhan
Eugene Deus Gavriel L. Fajardo
John Paolo M. Lejano
Emily Larido
Rochelle Lopez
Redentor Manalo

2022
Introduction

Because of the widespread availability of Internet connectivity, it has become one of

the most popular means of gathering information and communicating (Ramamohanarao et

al,2007). People tend to engage in a variety of activities on the Internet, some of which may

be potentially addictive, because it is considered a highly instructive and enjoyable medium.

The use of social media is one of these activities (Kuss & Griffiths2011).

Social networking has grown into a worldwide phenomenon and a vital source of

communication among classmates, families, and friends. "Social media is a communication

tool that is incredibly popular, exceedingly fast, broad, has shown to be highly effective, and

is trusted by billions of people to share and discover content involving individuals, brands,

information, and entertainment," according to Dearborn (2014). As a result, anyone can

readily speak with anyone at any time.

Without a question, the arrival of social media in the previous decade has attracted a

great number of individuals, particularly students. As a result, the widespread attraction of

social media may be cause for concern, particularly in light of the continual increase in the

amount of time students spend online, which may alter and influence their behavior.

Excessive use of these sites is concerning, as it may result in social media addiction. Walker

(2011) defines social media addiction as when a user spends too much time on social media

(e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) to the point where it negatively impacts 27 other

elements of his or her daily life, such as school, work, relationships, and behaviors toward

others.

Furthermore, according to the American Psychological Association (2014),

addiction is defined as "compulsive behavior that has negative consequences," in which

people become enslaved to particular activities such as drugs, gambling, video gaming,

overeating, and other harmful habits, which then obstructs other important activities in their

lives such as schoolwork and performance, and this can be said of people in general.

Without a doubt, the widespread usage of these platforms has become a source of

concern in recent years. The researchers are curious in the consequences of social media

addiction on the behavior of Selected Students’ Bachelor of art in communication, at

Batangas State University – ARASOF Nasugbu. This study is mostly supported by Ehlin

Kants's Uses and Gratification Theory, which was proposed in 1959 and is a method for

understanding how and why people seek out specific media to meet specific needs. There

are many similar studies, such as "Impacts of Social Media on Behavior Change among the

Youth: A Case Study of University Students at Selected Universities in Nairobi, Kenya."

conducted by Rita Njorge on the year 2013.

With social media bringing people closer together than ever before, making it one of

the best mediums for communication and providing a diverse range of entertainment,

students have become increasingly reliant on it, even overusing it in their daily lives. As a

result, because social media addiction is becoming a widespread condition among today's

students, this study will attempt to draw conclusions about the consequences of social media

addiction on participants' behavior.