Investigating Social Media's Role in UK Young Adults' Relationships

This research report investigates the role of social media in fostering interpersonal relationships among young people in the UK. It employs a quantitative methodology, utilizing a survey strategy with questionnaires distributed to a sample of 20 young individuals (10 males and 10 females). The study adopts a positivism philosophy and a deductive approach to test theories based on numerical data. Key findings include the perception that social media is important for building relationships, with Instagram and Twitter being popular platforms. The research also explores the impact of social media on young people, including its role in decision-making, providing a platform for expression, and potential adverse effects like isolation and anxiety. The report concludes by highlighting social media's role in enhancing communication, increasing connection time, and facilitating the exchange of ideas among young people in the UK.

Quantitative Research
Methods for Social Scientists
(What is the role of Social Media for maintaining
Interpersonal Relationships among Young People in
the UK?)
1

ABSTRACT
The provided research project will undertake a detailed understanding of various roles
played by social media for building interpersonal relationships among the young people in the
UK. This report highlights about the most likely used social media platform by Young people to
build their relationships. In this report, different methodologies are used to gather and analyse
data. Some of the methods that are used are the deductive approach, survey strategy, positivism
approach. The methodology which is used by the researcher is the quantitative method and the
instrument is the Questionnaire. Investigator will choose a random sampling method to select the
samples from the young people of the UK.
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Table of Contents
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Overview of the topic..................................................................................................................4
Research rational.........................................................................................................................4
Research aim and objective.........................................................................................................4
Research question........................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................5
Results..............................................................................................................................................6
Frequency distribution tables and charts.....................................................................................6
Chi-square test...........................................................................................................................19
DISCUSSION................................................................................................................................20
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................22
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................23
APPENDICES...............................................................................................................................24
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................24
SPSS data output sheet..............................................................................................................25
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INTRODUCTION
Overview of the topic
Social media is a digital platform that focuses on communication, interaction or sharing of
content with one individual with other. Social media is being used to connect with friends,
family or with society. In recent time social media play a very important role in the life of Young
people. With the help of this they can build their interpersonal relationship with effective manner
(Meyer, 2021).
Research rational
The major reason behind conducting the current investigation is to undertake as study on
the topic Role of social media in building interpersonal relationship among young people. The
existing research has great interest of me because it will help in achieving two vital objectives
that is personal and professional. With respect to the personal objective this investigation will
increase my knowledge about different method used for completing the report in systematic way.
on the other hand, in perspective of professional I will learn about various role played by social
media which help me to develop a professional career (Peruta and Shields, 2018).
Research aim and objective
Research aim:
The aim of this research is to identify the role of social media in the interpersonal
relationship among Young people of the United Kingdom.
Research Objectives:
 To increase basic understudying about the social media along with its types used by
Young people
 To examine the impact of social media on young people of the UK
 To determine the role of social media within the interpersonal relationship among Young
people of the United Kingdom
Research question
 What is the concept of social media and its types used by young people of the UK?
 How social media has impacted on young people of the UK?
 What are the effective roles of social media within the interpersonal relationship among
Young people of the United Kingdom?
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LITERATURE REVIEW
As per the view of Pulido and et. al (2018), Social media is a collection of application which
helps users to communicate with people without any face to face interaction. Individual can
actively communicate and form relation with users without any face to face interaction. Social
media clearly improved many aspects of interpersonal relationship. Some of the social media
platform used by young people are Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook etc.
According to Abi-Jaoude, Naylor and Pignatiello (2020), social media has a positive impact
on young people as it helps them to build peer motivation to work productively in their life.
Many young people are inspired by the influencer and develop healthiest habits. With the help of
digital platform people are coming up and speaking about their thoughts and idea with society.
Introvert people get a platform were they can open up with the society without any face to face
communication.
As per the viewpoint of Shensa and et. al (2020), there are different role played by social
media in building interpersonal relationship. Some of them are increasing connection time where
young individual can talk to their friend and family while sitting far away. It also played a role
where young people perception and mind can be changed in positive direction without any in-
person communication (D’Arienzo, Boursier and Griffiths, 2019).
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology section helps the researcher to identify, analyse and interpret data in
systematic manner. In current investigation researcher has adopt the positivism philosophy to
identify quantitative data. Deductive approach is used to test the theories based on numerical
information (Mukherjee, 2019). Investigator has selected survey research strategy to gather data
from mass population and the tool which is used to gather information is Questionnaire. Data
collection method will be primary because examiner wants fresh data directly from the
respondent. Probability sampling method has chosen to select samples from the wide young
population of UK. The sample size is 20 respondents that consist of 10 males and 10 females
(Bairagi and Munot, 2019).
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Results
Frequency distribution tables and charts
Table: Descriptive statistics
Statistics
Do you think
that, Social
media is
important for
Young
people to
build
interpersonal
relationship
What is
your
Gender?
What
is the
Age?
What
are
some
adverse
impacts
caused
by use
of social
media
to
young
people
in the
UK?
What are
the
potential
solutions
that can
be
provided
to young
people
to avoid
adverse
impacts
of using
social
media?
As per
your
opinion
which
type of
social
media
platform
is
mostly
used by
young
people
As per
your
opinion,
does
social
media
impact
Young
people
of UK
According
to your
perspective,
what is the
major
impact of
social
media on
Young
people of
UK
Do you
think,
social
media has
helped
introvert
young
people to
share their
views and
opinion
without
any
hesitation?
What is the
main role of
social media
in building
the
interpersonal
relationship
among the
young
people of UK
N Valid 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
Missing 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mean 1.2500 1.50 1.75 3.05 3.10 2.5000 1.3000 2.1000 1.4000 2.5500
Median 1.0000 1.50 2.00 4.00 3.50 3.0000 1.0000 2.0000 1.0000 2.5000
Mode 1.00 1a 1 4 4 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 4.00
Std.
Deviation .44426 .513 .786 1.191 1.071 1.27733 .47016 1.07115 .50262 1.19097
Variance .197 .263 .618 1.418 1.147 1.632 .221 1.147 .253 1.418
a. Multiple modes exist. The smallest value is shown
Table 1;
Do you think that, Social media is important for Young people to build
interpersonal relationship
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
Yes 15 75.0 75.0 75.0
No 5 25.0 25.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
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Table 2;
What is your Gender?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
Male 10 50.0 50.0 50.0
Female 10 50.0 50.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
Table 3;
What is the Age?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
0-35 9 45.0 45.0 45.0
36-64 7 35.0 35.0 80.0
65 and above 4 20.0 20.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
Table 4;
What are some adverse impacts caused by use of social media to young people in the UK?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
Isolation 3 15.0 15.0 15.0
Anxiety and Depression 4 20.0 20.0 35.0
Fear of missing out 2 10.0 10.0 45.0
All of the above 11 55.0 55.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
Table 5;
What are the potential solutions that can be provided to young people to avoid adverse impacts of using
social media?
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Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
Limits on time spend on social
media 2 10.0 10.0 10.0
Making inspiring connections 4 20.0 20.0 30.0
Knowing when it is the right time
of scrolling 4 20.0 20.0 50.0
All of the above 10 50.0 50.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
Table 6;
As per your opinion which type of social media platform is mostly used by young
people
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
Instagram 7 35.0 35.0 35.0
WhatsApp [phone]
Facebook 5 25.0 25.0 70.0
Twitter 6 30.0 30.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
Table 7;
As per your opinion, does social media impact Young people of UK
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
Yes 14 70.0 70.0 70.0
No 6 30.0 30.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
Table 8;
According to your perspective, what is the major impact of social media on Young people of UK
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
8

Valid
Building interpersonal
relationship 8 40.0 40.0 40.0
Influence their decision making 4 20.0 20.0 60.0
Platform for speaking up 6 30.0 30.0 90.0
Rumour spreading 2 10.0 10.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
Table 9;
Do you think, social media has helped introvert young people to share their views
and opinion without any hesitation?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
Yes 12 60.0 60.0 60.0
No 8 40.0 40.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
Table 10;
What is the main role of social media in building the interpersonal relationship among the young people
of UK
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
Enhancing communication
among people 5 25.0 25.0 25.0
Increasing connection time 5 25.0 25.0 50.0
Conveying own thoughts and
ideas to society 4 20.0 20.0 70.0
Changing perception and
adopting new things 6 30.0 30.0 100.0
Total 20 100.0 100.0
Bar Chart
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