Relationship between Social Media Use and Social Anxiety in College Students: Mediation Effect of Communication Capacity

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Relationship between Social Media Use and Social Anxiety in College Students: Mediation Effect of Communication Capacity

Abstract: An increasing number of college students are experiencing social anxiety in an era of prevalent social networking. College students' social anxiety may be related to their social media use. However, this relationship has not been confirmed. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between different types of social media use and social anxiety among college students, and the mediation effects of communication capacity in this context. A large sample of one thousand seven hundred forty students from seven colleges in China was analyzed. Bivariate correlation and structural equations analysis showed that passive social media use was positively correlated with social anxiety. Active social media use was negatively correlated with social anxiety. Communication capacity partially mediated the relationship between social media use (passive/active) and social anxiety. Active social media use may reduce social anxiety by positively mediating communication capacity, while improved communication capacity may reduce the contribution of passive use to social anxiety. The differences in the effects of different social media use on social anxiety deserve the attention of educators. Developing communication capacity education around college students may help reduce their social anxiety.

One. Introduction

Social anxiety, also known as "social terror," refers to the negative anxiety that individuals experience in real or imaginary social interaction situations due to the fear or apprehension of receiving negative evaluations from others. The prevalence of social anxiety in college students is about seven to thirty-three percent worldwide, while in China, up to twelve to fourteen percent of college students suffer from high levels of social anxiety. If social anxiety is not corrected or improved, it may develop into a severe social anxiety disorder and continue to affect students' academic achievement, career development, and mental health. Given the burden that social anxiety places on people and society, it is imperative to study the mechanisms through which it occurs, and to develop interventions.

Simultaneously, the use of social media has increased dramatically over the past decade, particularly among young people. Social network sites such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have become indispensable parts of people's lives. According to statistics, there are two point two three billion monthly active Facebook users worldwide, and this figure has an annual growth rate of eleven percent. In China, the number of internet users had reached one point zero one one billion by June twenty twenty-one, with college students accounting for the highest occupational percentage, at over twenty-three point zero percent.

Since college students frequently use the internet, their psychological status in social interactions may be influenced by the use of social media. According to research, using social network sites may cause personal social anxiety. Several theories have shed light on possible mechanisms through which social media use triggers social anxiety. According to the self-presentation theory, individuals may be more sensitive to negative evaluations of others, and even tend to guess that others have negative evaluations of them in their online self-presentation, which causes social anxiety. Individuals use others as a standard of comparison for self-evaluation in the absence of actual reference material, according to classical social comparison theory, especially in the absence of communication, and passive use of social network sites by individuals triggers more upward social comparison. According to behaviorist theory, social anxiety is caused by a conditioned reflex of emotional response, implying that social anxiety may be caused by a lack of social skills and, more precisely, communication capacity.

This evidence calls for a better understanding of the risk factors for social anxiety. These factors also include the way social media is used, interpersonal communication capacity, and previous experiences of social frustration. In this research, we aim to examine the relationship between social media use and social anxiety, taking into consideration the mediating role of communication capacity.

One point one. Social Media Use and Social Anxiety

One point two. The Mediating Role of Communication Capacity

Two. Materials and Methods

Two point two. Measurements

Two point two point one. Basic Information

Two point two point two. Active Social Media Use

Two point two point three. Passive Social Media Use

Two point two point four. Communication Capacity

Two point two point five. Social Anxiety

Two point two point six. Personality Traits

Two point three. Statistical Analysis

Two point four. Ethical Considerations

Three. Results

Three point two. Correlations between Social Media Use, Communication Capacity, and Social Anxiety

Three point three. Common Method Bias Test

Three point four. Model Test

Four. Discussion

Four point two. Different Manners of Social Media Use Correlated Differently with Social Anxiety and Communication Capacity

Four point three. Communication Capacity Was Negatively Correlated with Social Anxiety

Four point four. The Mediating Role of Communication Capacity

Five. Conclusions

Overview

The document examines how college students' social media usage relates to their social anxiety, with a specific emphasis on the role of communication capacity as a mediator. The findings suggest that passive social media use correlates with increased social anxiety, while active use may mitigate it through enhanced communication skills.

Key Points

1Passive social media use is positively correlated with social anxiety
2Active social media use shows a negative correlation with social anxiety
3Communication capacity partially mediates the effect of social media use on social anxiety
4The study emphasizes the importance of developing communication capacity among students to reduce social anxiety
5Effective communication skills can help alleviate social anxiety in college settings.

Details

Authors: Fengxia Lai, Lihong Wang, Jiyin Zhang, Shengnan Shan, Jing Chen, Li Tian
Category: Psychology

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