Time Spent on Social Networking Sites and its Association with Creativity: A Study among Indian Students

Description

Shifa Hansa¹ and Karthik Rajan C. S.² (SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai, Tamilnadu¹ and Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab²)

Scholarly interest in the implications of social network site (SNS) use on cognitive and creative outcomes has developed alongside the widespread usage of SNSs among college students. Existing literature indicates that social media sites can positively affect creativity by providing greater access to information, opportunities for collaboration, and avenues for self-expression, yet empirical evidence is mixed. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between time spent on SNSs and creativity among college students by utilizing a correlational research design. The data were collected from 120 students aged 19 to 23 years old located in Chennai, India. Participants completed the Social Networking Time Use Scale (SONTUS; Olufadi, 2016) and the Creative Behavior Inventory (CBI; Dollinger, 2003). Data were analyzed using Pearson’s product-moment correlation as well as independent samples t-tests. The results indicated a very small and statistically non-significant positive correlation between SNS use and creativity (r = 0.052, p = 0.572), with no statistically significant difference between the male and female students in time spent on SNSs (p = 0.676). Overall, the results suggest that SNS use alone does not have a significant influence on creative behavior in students and that other contextual, motivational, and psychological factors most likely play a more substantial role. Implications for educational practice and future research directions are discussed.