Good Reasons to Use Social Media

The upsurge and growth of social networking sites has opened an entirely new world of communication and interface. People from all over the world are reaching out to each other and staying connected through these bustling social outlets. This new communication venture that so many have taken has given new meaning to daily living and happiness. There are so many factors that drive people to use social media nowadays. It is no longer something that is geared towards tech savvy individuals, teens and millennials.

Social networking sites have become an activity that people of all ages participate in and enjoy for many different reasons.

Participation in the everyday occupations of life is a vital part of human development and lived experience. Through participation, we acquire skills and competencies, connect with others and our communities, and find purpose and meaning in life (Law, 2002). Occupations refer to the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families and with communities to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life.

Occupations include things people need to, want to and are expected to do (WTOD, 2012). One occupation that is prevalent in the lives of many people, both young and old, is engaging in social media usage. It seems that using social media has become the go-to activity for many people. Posting, liking, commenting and sharing have become daily norms for most people all over the world. Many could even argue that social media transcends socioeconomic barriers because people of all social classes have used or will use a social media outlet at some point in their lives.

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According to Thurairaj et al. (2015) as cited in Courage, 2015, social networking sites (SNSs) are defined as mobile or Internet-based social platforms created and designed to enable users to communicate, collaborate and share content across contacts and communities. Currently, the most popular social networking sites include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp. Usage and development of various social networking sites continue to increase across the world because of the value they have in aiding human communication (Courage, 2018). Notable benefits of social networking sites identified by a previous study include the creation of relationships, sharing of content and opinions, entertainment and communication (Woo & Lee, 2017 as cited in Courage, 2018). Regardless of the positive side of social networking sites usage, concerns have emerged over their potential to be addictive, and there are also concerns about privacy of users and control of information (Jeong & Kim, 2017 as cited in Courage, 2018).

Social networking sites are growing rapidly and Facebook is one of the biggest sites we have (Ellison, 2007). Social networking sites have become a valued tool for communication in many people’s daily life (Ellison, 2007). With Facebook, users can communicate through posts and messages (Pempek et al., 2009 as cited in Ellison, 2007). Posts can also be “liked” and “commented”. Created in 2004, by 2007 Facebook was reported to have more than 21 million registered members generating 1.6 billion page views each day. The site is tightly integrated into the daily media practices of its users: The typical user spends about 20 minutes a day on the site, and two‐thirds of users log in at least once a day (Ellison, 2007). Facebook, as one of the most popular social networking sites among college students, provides a platform for people to manage others’ impressions of them (Chou, 2012.) One feature of Facebook is that it enables users to present themselves in an online profile with pictures and life events that they would like to share with those listed as their Facebook friends (Chou, 2012.)

One of the main reasons that people use social networking sites such as Facebook is to connect with friends and family. Two-thirds of online adults (66%) use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or LinkedIn. These internet users say that connections with family members and friends (both new and old) are a primary consideration in their adoption of social media tools. Roughly two thirds of social media users say that staying in touch with current friends and family members is a major reason they use these sites, while half say that connecting with old friends they’ve lost touch with is a major reason behind their use of these technologies.

Other factors play a much smaller role—14% of users say that connecting around a shared hobby or interest is a major reason they use social media, and 9% say that making new friends is equally important. Reading comments by public figures and finding potential romantic partners are cited as major factors by just 5% and 3% of social media users, respectively (Smith, 2016).

Contrary to what some may believe, many social media users de-stress by logging on to sites like Facebook. Stress relief was one reason why undergraduates used Facebook (Stevens, 2011). In addition, Nabi et al. (2013) as cited in Bevan, 2014, found that number of Facebook friends was associated with greater perceived social support, which then was associated with reduced stress, and, in turn, reduced physical illness and greater psychological well-being.

In a recent study conducted, Whiting (2013), found that 88 percent of the respondents mentioned using social media for social interaction. Respondents mentioned that Facebook is “a place to interact and socialize with others”, that they “have more contact with people via social media than face to face”, and that “social media gives them a social life”.

In a survey issued to teachers by Tiryakioglu (2011), it was learned that in the educational setting, the use of Facebook more commonly emerges in the form of announcement and task distribution. Also, instructors generally use this environment as a supplementary environment. Instructors regard Facebook suitable for communicating with students, communication of students with each other, being informed about students and making announcements about courses and sharing content.

It is not surprising that Facebook has been found to impact on the sociality of its users (Ryan, 2011). In a world that is constantly plugged-in, more people are including social media outlets such as Facebook as a daily norm. Social media users are starting to equate the usage of the different social media outlets to their own happiness in life. There are many things that motivate a person to use Facebook and other social media outlets. In one of Sheldon and colleagues’ (2011) studies, the authors found that the frequency of Facebook use was positively correlated with feelings of general connection in life (Nadkarni, 2012). If a person wants to stay connected with family and friends, they turn to Facebook. If a teacher wants to share information about class assignments and other activities, they turn to Facebook. If people want to de-stress and socialize, they turn to Facebook. Social media has taken on an entirely new meaning to many people with Facebook at the helm. It is so much more than it used to be and people are truly finding many ways to use it to their benefit.

WORKS CITED

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