Introduction
Introduction
Statement of the Purpose
The hypothesis of this study is as follows: Over half of young adults in the Edmonton area are addicted to social media. This research seeks to discover how many young adults in the Edmonton area struggle with social media addiction. Social media has become an integral part of many lives in the 21st century; it can be consumed in moderate amounts, but young adults may succumb to its addictive design. This research uses surveys, social media screen-time logs, and interviews to evaluate how much time young adults spend on social media. For the purpose of this research, young adults are considered to be people between the ages of 18 and 24 years old. University students are not the only young adults who participated; the participants range from students to full-time workers, people on maternity leave, and parents. Furthermore, for this research, the Edmonton area is considered to be anywhere within city limits or within 20 kilometres of Edmonton—the specific neighbourhoods and cities included are outlined in the survey. Lastly, social media is considered to be one of the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest.
A person who is in his or her late teenage years or early twenties (Cambridge Dictionary, 2022)
Exhibiting a compulsive, chronic, physiological, or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behaviour, or activity (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)
Forms of electronic communication . . . through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos) (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)
A behavioural addiction that is defined by being overly concerned about social media, driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to or use social media, and devoting so much time and effort to social media that it impairs other important life areas (Addiction Center, n.d.)
A research method used to collect information from a group of people regarding a specific topic