Research Methods: Social Media's Influence on Young Generations

This homework assignment delves into the multifaceted impact of social media on the young generation. It begins with an introduction highlighting the widespread use of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube among young people, emphasizing their role in entertainment, communication, and staying informed. The assignment poses several research questions exploring the potential uses of social media, the rate of its increasing use, and whether it is used for entertainment or communication. Furthermore, it investigates the negative aspects, such as cyberbullying and the impact of parents. The assignment correlates these research questions to provide a deeper understanding of the subject. Finally, it reviews the research methods used, emphasizing the positive and negative effects of social media on the young generation and the importance of guidance to prevent unfair use.

Running head: RESEARCH METHODS
Research Methods
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction to the research topic....................................................................................................2
Research Questions..........................................................................................................................3
Correlation of the research question................................................................................................5
Reviewing the research methods.....................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction to the research topic
The use of social media is highly facilitated and practiced by the young generation due to
the varied advantages. The various social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
and YouTube provides an opportunity for entertainment as well as communication for the young
generation. Apart from entertainment, the social media platforms are used by the younger
generation to follow their icons and the world news thereby, remaining updated. The use of
social of social media has increased in the past 5 years due to the use of smart phones. Smart
phones have made it possible for the younger generation to use social media at their finger tip.
As mentioned by Bolton et al. (2013), the young generation has never been inspired so much by
the emergence of the social media. The statistics of the use of social media are incredible in
numbers. The Facebook has more than 5 million users that are aged below 10 years though
minimum age limit of having a Facebook account is 18 years. It has also been seen that an
estimated 58% of the users of Facebook are children aged between 13-17 years. Once a day, at
least 50% of the young generation login to their Facebook account (Boyd 2014). Same in terms
of YouTube, Twitter and Instagram, the majority of the young generations uses social media
widely.
The use of social media has both positive and negative impact on the young generations.
As commented by Leung (2013), the use of social media provides an opportunity for the young
generation to share ideas and news with different online communities. As a result, the young
generation remains connected for noble causes and raise their voice when necessary. In addition
to, the use of social media provides an opportunity to be connected with favorite people
regardless of the distance. One of the major benefits of the use of social media on the young

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generation is that they are able to express themselves. The social media is an ideal platform for
the young generation to express them without worrying about other’s viewpoint. However, on
the other hand, the potential disadvantages that social media has on young generation includes
cyber bullying and electronic aggression. Cyber bullying is mostly noticed in social media where
30% of the young generations of the middle and high school those has been identified as the
culprits. It has also been seen that 15% of the victims of cyber bullying has committed suicide,
18% of the affected young generations are female whereas 12% of them are male. In addition to,
the extension of social media create distance between the parents and the children (Sponcil and
Gitimu 2013). As mentioned, though the minimum age limit is 18 years, social media has several
users those are aged below 10 that is a huge security threat.
Research Questions
RQ1 What are the potential uses of social media for the young generations?
This question will help in understanding the use of social media among the young
generation. In addition to, this will also help in understanding to what extent social media has
gripped the young generation.
RQ1.1 How fast has the use of social media increased over the past 5 years among the young
generations?
This question will help in analyzing the use of social media among the young generation
in the last 5 years. As a result, it will be easier to understand the rate by which the use of social
media is increasing among the young generation regardless of their age.
RQ 1.2 Does the young generation use social media only for entertainment?

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This question will help in determining the extent the young generation uses the social
media for entertainment. This will also help in determining the time the young generation spends
on entertaining by using social media.
RQ 1.3 How frequently does the young generation use social media as a tool of communication?
This will help in determining the extent the young generation uses the social media for
communicating for both personal and professional uses. This will also help in determining
whether the young generation uses social media for important purposes other than for
entertainment and fun.
RQ 1.4 Does the young generation use social media for supporting noble causes?
Noble causes receive huge support in the social platform. This question will help in
understanding the mindset of the young generation in terms of the use of social media. As the
majority of the young generations are present in the social media, it is worth to analyze the use of
social media among the young generation for the betterment of the country.
RQ 2 Does the unfair use of social media noticed among the young generations?
This question will help in understanding whether the young generation understands that
they are using the social media for unfair means that are harming others of their age.
RQ 2.1 Does ineffective security affects the use of social media for the young generations?
The minimum age of having an account on social media is 18 years. This question will help in
analyzing the number of young generation social media users that are under 10 years and
whether they understand the impact of the unfair use of social media on other young generations.

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RQ 2.2 What is the impact of the unfair use of social media among the young generations?
This question will help in understanding the impact the young generation has on the other
young generation when they use the social media unfairly.
RQ 2.3 Does the young generation understand the impact on each other that is caused by the
unfair use of social media?
This question will help in understanding the perspectives and mindset of the young
generation that they have regarding the use of social media.
RQ 2.4 What should be the steps undertaken by the parents to mitigate the unfair use of social
media among young generations?
This question will help in understanding the involvement of the parents in ensuring that
the young generation does not use social media unfairly.
Correlation of the research question
The previous section highlights the tentative questions that have been formed that aim
towards helping in developing a better understanding of the situation. In addition to, each
question has been formed in correlation with the other questions. This provided an opportunity to
clarify, rationalize or deny the acts mentioned in each other. For example, RQ 1.2 and RQ 1.3 are
related. Both the questions will help in finding out the main reason for using social media for the
young generation, that is, whether they use it as a communication platform or use it a medium
for entertainment. Also, this will also help in understanding the concept and viewpoint of the
young generations regarding the actual and fair means of using social media. However, on the
other hand, RQ 1.4 discusses whether the young generation has the understanding of the different

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ways the social media other than communication and entertainment. The population of the young
generation highlights the strength of the nation. This is because the young generation is the
population that possesses the ability to bring the change the nation requires by supporting the
right. This question analyzes whether the young generation understands their ability in terms of
their help for noble causes and bringing the required change.
RQ 2.1 and 2.2 analyzes the unfair use of social media by the young generation and the
extent it hampers the entire young generation. Both the questions analyzes whether the young
generation even understands the meaning of the unfair use of social media. This is because the
social media has users those are aged below 10 years and hardly knows the difference between
right and wrong deeds. RQ 2.4 is one of the important questions as this discusses the underlying
impact of the parents in guiding the young generation and making them understands between the
fair and unfair means of using the social media.
Reviewing the research methods
Here in this assignment, the research questions are formed in such a way that it will help
in understanding the use of social media for the young generation. RQ 1.2 and 1.3 analyzes the
main use of social media for the young generation, that is, whether the young generation uses
social media for communication or entertainment or for both equally. Social media is used
extensively within the young generation. As commented by Buckingham and Willett (2013), the
use of social media is highly preferred by the young generation because social media provides
them everything at their finger tip. The tentative questions formed have both positive and
negative impact on the young generation. The positives of using social media for the young
generation provides them with the opportunity to stay connected with friends and families as

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well as follow companies or job purposes. On the other hand, lack of clarity among the young
generation in terms of the use of social media leads to the unfair use of social media. Illegal
activities such as stalking, cyber bullying and threatening are noticed that has a fatal impact on
the fellow population of the young population. As commented by Wohn et al. (2013), proper
guidance for the young generation can prevent the unfair use of social media by the young
generation. This can be correlated with RQ 2.4 that analyzes the involvement of the parents in
mitigating the unfair use of social media by the young generation.

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References
Bolton, R.N., Parasuraman, A., Hoefnagels, A., Migchels, N., Kabadayi, S., Gruber, T.,
Komarova Loureiro, Y. and Solnet, D., 2013. Understanding Generation Y and their use of social
media: a review and research agenda. Journal of service management, 24(3), pp.245-267.
Boyd, D., 2014. It's complicated: The social lives of networked teens. Yale University Press.
Buckingham, D. and Willett, R. eds., 2013. Digital generations: Children, young people, and the
new media. Routledge.
Leung, L., 2013. Generational differences in content generation in social media: The roles of the
gratifications sought and of narcissism. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), pp.997-1006.
Sponcil, M. and Gitimu, P., 2013. Use of social media by college students: Relationship to
communication and self-concept. Journal of Technology Research, 4, p.1.
Wohn, D.Y., Ellison, N.B., Khan, M.L., Fewins-Bliss, R. and Gray, R., 2013. The role of social
media in shaping first-generation high school students' college aspirations: A social capital
lens. Computers & Education, 63, pp.424-436.