Report: Facebook Use Affects GPA in Freshmen, Not Seniors
Facebook use has a negative effect on GPA for freshmen. For sophomores and
juniors, it has a negative effect on GPA only if they're doing their schoolwork
at the same time. For seniors, Facebook has no effect on GPA, according to a new
study. However, the difference may be explained by better self-regulation skills
in senior students, rather than Facebook use itself.
The study, "Student
Class Standing, Facebook Use and Academic Performance," was conducted by
researchers at Iowa State University and
published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. The researchers
surveyed 1,649 college students about their Facebook use.
The survey found that while students in all stages of their college education
used Facebook, the way they used it varied. College freshmen spent an average of
two hours a day on Facebook, more than half of which time they were also
studying. However, seniors used Facebook for shorter periods of time. The
findings suggest that the negative relationship between Facebook use and GPA has
more to do with self-regulation than with Facebook itself, according to Reynol
Junco, associate professor of education at Iowa State University, and senior
students may be better at managing distractions.
"Freshmen have all of these adjustment issues," said Junco in a prepared
statement. "They come to college and they don't know what to do, because they
don't have a parent or teacher telling them when to study, what to eat, or when
to go to bed. They haven't developed the self-regulation skills that they need."
Some Facebook activities, such as sharing links and checking in with friends,
have a positive effect on GPA, according to a news release from Iowa State U.
"Students use social media to make friends and create the support network they
need," said Junco. "If they're committed to their social circles, then they're
also committed to their institution, and that's a major part of academic
success."
The full study is available for purchase as a downloadable PDF from ScienceDirect.
About the Author
Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].