Social Networking Sites: Mobile Phone Addiction and Mental Health

Description

Page: 660-664

Poonam Vats and D. Ananya (Department of Psychology, Mata Sundri College for Women, University of Delhi, Delhi)

Social networking sites have become an integral part of daily life, offering benefits such as facilitating global connections, enabling self-expression, and improving information access, however, their addiction is coming under increased scrutiny. Mobile phones have become a medium to connect on social networking sites. This research examines how addiction to mobile phones for social interactions in younger generations affects mental health, focusing on the rise of Aggression and decline in Mindfulness. The primary research question investigates how mobile phone usage for connecting on social networking sites influences emotional and psychological outcomes. The study employed a non-probability purposive sampling technique and quantitative design with 50 participants aged 20-30. The tool used to measure the addiction level on mobile was the Mobile Phone Addiction Scale (Velayudhan & Srividya, 2012). The Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (Buss & Perry, 1992) and the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (Baer et al., 2006) were used to measure Aggression and Mindfulness. An inferential statistical tool, t-tests, was used to analyze the data. The results indicate that addiction to mobile phones and higher exposure to social networking sites are associated with increased aggression and decreased mindfulness. These findings suggest a negative impact of phone addiction on both emotional well-being and cognitive clarity, aligning with key concerns in both positive and social psychology. The study underscores the need for healthier online mediums used to connect and foster psychological well-being. It highlights the importance of addressing the adverse effects of addiction to social networking sites on younger generations and promoting practices that can mitigate aggression and enhance mindfulness in digital spaces. These findings highlight a critical need for interventions encouraging healthier social networking engagement.