THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE ON QUALITY TIME SPENT WITH FAMILY MEMBERS: MODERATING ROLE OF FAMILY COHESION

Abstract

In recent times, internet is considered to be one of the most powerful resources which connect people all over the globe. The advancement in social network sites also made the source more familiar and popular that it is now treated as a basic necessity of life, hence its absence impact individuals’ daily routine. However, the emerging trend of SNs usage in the context of connecting people is creating a gap in their family lives as well. This major impact on families not only shrinks the healthy family time but also shrinks socialization and face-to-face interaction among siblings and parents. Thus, the study advances its knowledge by analyzing the perception, attitude, and behavior toward social media with this assumption that it may hamper the quality of time with family.  The current study chose convenience sampling technique to sample the university students of Karachi. By using time displacement theory as a theoretical lens, the study confirms the excessive usage of social media decrease family socialization. Results also indicate that with excessive social media usage, the relationship with families might affected as students are already isolated from their families due to the tough schedule and studies burden. However, when family cohesion is higher, the effect can be minimized which underscores the potential role of family cohesion as a moderator. This research may also provide evidence to encourage family members to focus on their kids and minimize the communication gap which has been lingering due to excessive use of social media.