Examining social adjustment to college in the age of social media: Factors influencing successful transitions and persistence

被引:90
作者
Gray, Rebecca [1 ]
Vitak, Jessica [2 ]
Easton, Emily W. [3 ]
Ellison, Nicole B. [4 ]
机构
[1] Michigan State Univ, E Lansing, MI 48824 USA
[2] Univ Maryland, College Pk, MD 20742 USA
[3] Univ Illinois, Chicago, IL USA
[4] Univ Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
关键词
College adjustment; Facebook; Social media; Social integration; Persistence; Retention; SELF-ESTEEM; AFRICAN-AMERICAN; HIGHER EDUCATION; NETWORK SITES; 1ST SEMESTER; STUDENTS; FACEBOOK; 1ST-GENERATION; PREDICTORS; UNIVERSITY;
D O I
10.1016/j.compedu.2013.02.021
中图分类号
TP39 [计算机的应用];
学科分类号
081203 ; 0835 ;
摘要
Social adjustment plays a critical role in student persistence at college. Social media such as Facebook, used widely by this population, have the potential to positively enhance students' transition to college by encouraging connection and interaction among peers. The present study examines the role Facebook plays in students' social adjustment during their first year of college using survey data (N = 338) collected from students at a private, liberal arts college in the Midwest. We develop and test a model that includes both traditional and Facebook-specific predictors of social support and social adjustment, as well as explore the role that these factors play in predicting students' enrollment status the following year. Results indicate positive relationships between two Facebook variables-the number of Facebook Friends students have at the college and their engagement in collaborative behaviors with classmates through the site and measures of social support and social adjustment, as well as a positive relationship between social adjustment and persistence at the university. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码:193 / 207
页数:15
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