Methodology

The research team used a mixed-methods research approach to test their hypothesis, which is as follows: Over half of young adults in the Edmonton area are addicted to social media. The researchers started by collecting and analyzing quantitative data, then collected and analyzed qualitative data in a second phase as a follow-up to the quantitative results. This design connected the three phases by using the quantitative results to shape the qualitative research questions, sampling, and data collection. Quantitative methods aided in quantifying patterns in attitudes, behaviours, and other defined variables, to contextualize the results from the study sample in a wider population of the same age group. Qualitative methods were used to analyze non-numerical data and understand concepts related to the research topic. The research team utilized three phases to collect research data. Phase one involved a survey distributed online, phase two involved a collection of screen time logs, and phase three involved participant interviews. These were used to evaluate the addictive tendencies to social media held by each participant.