Browsing by Subject "sosiaalisuus somessa"

The empirical objectives of this thesis were twofold: to investigate how perceived closeness as a component of friendship relationships manifested in the usage patterns of social media platforms among 18-29-year-old university students, and how respondents described their usage time on the three most frequently used social media platforms in relation to the intensity of perceived closeness on the given platform. The research topic is relevant in different educational contexts for individuals of various age groups as social media and increased internet usage have become integral parts of the lives of young adults. Closeness and close friendships also play a significant developmental role in the lives of young adults, as several studies suggest that close friendships contribute to school satisfaction, fulfillment of social needs, sense of unity, reduced loneliness, and the development of social skills. The thesis' third research task was to examine how reward learning was reflected in the usage behaviors of young adults on social media platforms and how previously mentioned is seen in the algorithmic structures of social media platforms. The study specifically focused on the algorithmic structures of social media, utilizing concepts such as feedback loops and prediction errors in reward learning. The section also discussed potential risk factors for problematic use of social media platforms and the positive empowering aspects of social media. The theoretical section begins by examining reward learning, which provides a biological approach and one feasible way to look at an individual's use of social media through the lens of reward learning. The neurobiological perspective provides nuanced information that complimentary understanding of why social media platforms are extensively used among young adults. It also helps to contemplate the growth of popularity and the impacts of social media platforms on university education. Findings are interpreted within the framework of critical pedagogy. The second half of the theoretical section delves into the significance of friendships and closeness in the social relationships of young adults. The mentioned concepts of friendships and closeness are also explored in social media. After a descriptive statistical interpretation, the reliability of the survey instrument is tested, and the questions that best measure closeness are identified within the questionnaire instrument. As a result, the empirical research. The values of perceived closeness were higher on the most frequently used platform compared to less used social media platforms in this sample. Four questions were found in the survey data, and those were used to build a scale suitable for measuring perceived closeness in friendship relationships, especially on WhatsApp or Instagram. The unity values in the same closeness scale were at a sufficiently reliable level across the variables compared. Reward learning was manifested in the literature on young adults' usage patterns of social media in several ways, including receiving likes, selective consumption of content, and seeking social approval from peers. Some social media algorithms were also found to incorporate reward learning structures that are typical for humans. In literature, robust link between reward learning and algorithmic structures remains mostly unsolved and needs more thorough investigation.