Using Social Media Sites and Its Relation with Social Isolation and Selfishness in Youth: A Predictive Study

Abstract

This study aimed at highlighting the correlation between social isolation and selfishness in youth and the intensive use of social media in a sample of university students, and revealing the possibility of predicting the level of social isolation and selfishness among young people through their use of social media. The research sample consisted of 600 male and female students. The descriptive method was applied using a scale of Social isolation and Selfishness questionnaire, as well as some questions that measure exposure, its intensity, times and special places of social networking sites. The researchers applied methodological steps in constructing the scale and questionnaire from previous studies and refereeing it by experts. The main findings include: 1) there is a positive correlation between the intensive use of social media sites and social isolation and selfishness in the research sample; 2) the heavy use of social networks negatively contributes to predicting the level of selfishness and social isolation in the future among young people; 3) the larger proportion of subjects (almost 67.3%) reported that social media networks had a negative effect on their relation with reality; and 4) Facebook leads the list of Respondents’ preferred social media, followed by WhatsApp.