Patterns of social networking use and academic performance: Examining the link between quality and frequency of social networking use and academic performance among college-level students

摘要

Previous research has produced contrasting findings regarding the influence of social networking on academic performance. Many have found negative relationships but some have also demonstrated a positive effect for social networking on academic performance. Still others report no links between social networking and academic performance. Researchers have attempted to explain these divergences by specifying the quality and frequency of social networking habits and behaviors, distinguishing between adaptive and maladaptive traits. Yet it remains unclear how divergent use patterns are related to academic performance. To extend this literature, we examine the relationship between frequency, duration, and problematic (i.e., maladaptive) use of social networking sites on perceived performance expectancy and actual academic performance of a sample of college-level students recruited at a pre-university program in Northeastern Canada. Our findings suggest that different measures of SNS use and academic performance can yield different links between social networking and academic performance. Interestingly, we find that frequency and problematic use of SNS are related to performance expectancy though we do not find a concomitant effect for reported academic performance. Findings are discussed with respect to self-determination theory and implications for teaching and learning are offered as well.