Yesolran Kim and Mina Lee
This study investigates the relationship between social media use and loneliness among adolescents and the moderating role of media literacy in this relationship.
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the relationship between social media use and loneliness among adolescents and the moderating role of media literacy in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilizes secondary cross-sectional data from the Korea Media Panel Survey conducted in 2021 by the Korea Information Society Development Institute. The sample comprised 480 Korean adolescents aged 13–18 years who had experience using social media.
Findings
The results showed that social media use was positively associated with adolescents’ loneliness and that media literacy moderated this relationship. Adolescents with low media literacy felt lonelier with increased social media use, while those with high media literacy felt less lonely as social media use increased. For those with average media literacy, social media use had no effect on loneliness.
Originality/value
The findings suggest that media literacy can serve as a protective factor against the negative effects of social media use, in particular, adolescent loneliness. This study underscores the importance of media literacy education and interventions by parents, educators and policymakers for adolescents.
Details
Keywords
This study aimed to examine the relationships between different uses of Internet modes and political participation, focusing on political information behaviors, including…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to examine the relationships between different uses of Internet modes and political participation, focusing on political information behaviors, including political information seeking and forwarding.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used secondary data from the 2016 Korea Media Panel Survey conducted with 8,439 Korean adults.
Findings
The results indicated that political participation is generally associated with the use of online news forums, online communities, online services and online information production, but not with the use of social networking sites (SNSs). Additional analyses revealed that the use of different Internet modes has an indirect effect on voting intention through political information seeking. The analysis also showed that a number of sociodemographic characteristics influence political participation.
Originality/value
As one of the first studies to focus on active information behaviors in examining the influence of Internet use, this study enhances the understanding of how human behaviors are shaped by digital technology. By providing guidelines for the use of different modes of the Internet, the findings of this study also have practical implications for efforts to encourage political participation.