Abstract

The current study aimed to explore and investigate the social media uses and gratifications among the youth of Southern Punjab with regard to problems and prospects. The researcher aimed to investigate the social media usage behavior, preferences, gratification, and motives of the youth aged between 17-25 years to measure the prospects and problems of social media usage patterns. It was also measured that the level of impact of social media on social interactions, on religious information and level of trust and reliability over the information provided by social media websites. A survey research design has been utilized as a data collection tool. A total of 1200 respondents were selected by purposive sampling technique from the three selected districts. The results supported both theories Uses and Gratification and Social Learning as there was significant difference in usage patterns among youth belonging to different socio-demographic characteristics.

Key Words

Social Media, Uses, Problems, Youth, Southern Punjab

Introduction

There was a time when people have to wait for a daily newspaper to observe concerning incidence of their near and universal. To obtain the information and update, community was dependent on newspapers, radio or TV for dissimilar substances. Though, now community is more linked through the world all over because of the settlement of telephones/computers. As there is considerable development in communication tools, it has taken comfort to improve connection between public, relatives, friends plus additional common artists. Societies have swapped from the older communicational channels like newspapers, radio and TV by consuming the facilities of highly developed media like messages, E-mails, Blogs, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and so on, the advanced information outfits of allowing quick communication and logical cross-sections. Social media is a new invention. This media is working through its platform including YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, and additional social networking sites.

Social networking is a fact that has occurred then civilization instigated. Human beings always have to alive in social surroundings. To a significant degree, social networking sites have moved social networking to the internet. There are a variety of Aspects that have encouraged us to think the insinuations of these technologies for policy making. One of these is the preparedness of operators to embrace social networking as a means of message and social networking in daily life span. The rising reliance on technology for essential communication also highlights the significance of examining in what way social networking is affecting everyday practices. Social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Friendster are swaying the way operators set up maintains and farm a variety of communal relationships, from close companionships to informal associates (Bargh and McKenna, 2004).

Social media, as presently working on the internet, has the benefit of being brief, directed, and immediate. As it has gained admiration overall, social media is not new. By the extensive acceptance of individual PCs during 1990s, facilities like newsgroups, chat rooms and immediate messaging were in the middle of the initial fascinations for users of the World Wide Web. What is different, though, is the attention that has been assumed to increase forms of social media Facebook, YouTube and particularly Twitter as a means of not only making simulated societies, nevertheless as a way of immediately collaborating and moving to action followers of these societies. Earlier, communication on these networking sites had been measured unimportant, providing a means of either marketing to targeted groups or posting declarations telling normal individual actions (Thurlow, Lengel and Tomic, 2004).

This research is an attempt to shed some light on the patterns of social media uses and purposes of uses by the youth of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The foremost objective of this research is to investigate the uses, problems, and prospects with regard to social media in connection with youth of Southern Punjab. This research is theoretically linked with uses and gratification approach and social learning theory as its framework to measure and investigate the phenomena.   

Literature Review

According to the Beattie (2013) the internet was intended for the free exchange of material, without borders and internet facility has surely changed life for the improved by share information and knowledge growth innovation and positive connectivity to the globe he discovered out that more than 400 million Twitter users tweet daily whereas 500 terabytes data processes by Facebook per day. He said that in psychological research that was published in the Public Library of Science Facebook has a differing effect on emotion and happiness of people.

According to Hargittai (2007) those systematic differences among those who use social media and those who avoid using them. This dissimilarity is based on interpreters of social networking sites usage with vital focus on Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, and Xanga. An individual’s gender, race, civilization, and parental learning environment all are essential factors that are connected with their usage. People with extra ability and control to use these sites typically become their users. Disparate contribution on the source of user’s background outcome in discrepancy in reception of such services which in the end leads to digital favoritism.

According to the result of a study of Urista, Dong and Kenneth (2009) based preliminary content analysis shows that there are various rationales behind the use of social media. The main reason is to get in touch with new friends (31%). The next important aspect stays in contact with their associates (21%) while third motive is to be more socialist (14%). There Are eleven diverse reasons and several secondary reasons are recognized which explain the individual motivation as inspiring aspect for the usage of social networking sites and create it perceptive to expand prosperous social networking online.

According to West, Jane and Peter (2009) that generally the users of Facebook seek to attach to those persons with whom they have previous offline relationships relatively than unfamiliar citizens or people of outer networks. Facebook is the main tool to get in touch with especially amongst college students usage of Facebook is multiple and modifies as the necessities of life changes amongst people.

According to Lin and Qiu (2012), a number of users do not use it on a daily basis whereas others use it frequently. Several users who join Facebook for the sake of enjoyment relatively other use it for educational and managerial purposes. It is also pragmatic that students use it typically to get informed of their condition before and after the vacations. Most frequently Facebook is used for sharing information regarding functions and events, pictures and images and composition and other movies, etc. Facebook has also been used to decide the areas of interest of the students and to obtain their reaction concerning their instructors and lecturers.

According to Dr. June Ahn (2012) that youth 12 to18 years old combined online survey of social media and their preference was MySpace and Facebook. They find out that Facebook at present boasts over 500 million members in 2011. The use of social media has grown-up significantly crosswise America and all over the world. According to the nationwide and worldwide surveys 2010 report that 46 percent of the American peoples at this time use social media and also Pew Global Attitudes Project Among youth the acceptance of social media is even more extensive and youth who operate the social media are 73 percent are registered users of some social media society.

Stollak, Vandenberg, and Burklund (2011) conducted a research to discover the connection of social media usage and its impact on educational presentation. The end result demonstrates exciting conclusion that there is a deep connection between the student's GPA and the time they use in SNSs. They establish that students?, who use more time in social media are enjoying less GPA. But there are some restrictions have been recognized in the aforementioned study as they conducted the study with only 430 samples. Thus it is very hard to simplify the relations between SNSs and mark points upon the inadequate number of samples. An additional difficulty is that the research was run by on-line discussion were they unsuccessful to recognize the non-verbal performance of the respondents.

According to the study of Selwyn (2009) students information education-related postings on Facebook and establish that students posted merely a slight amount of education-related information. Though, when education-related information did come into view students used the social networking site mainly to recount or reproduce on their university knowledge share sensible information concerning courses share educational information (e.g. show "entreaty and ethical support with regards to appraisal and learning) and teasing concerning their educational incompetencies and/or disconnection. On the surface, it might come into view that students were not developing any necessary talent sets but Facebook provided the students with a positioned knowledge experience in the "individuality politics of being a student", one in which they could communicate their individuality of being a student, confront and query educational establishment and eloquent work out and appreciate the role conflicts they have as students all within a space among peers who have a common sympathetic. Developing skills like conflict resolution of student role and individuality within an educational structure is helpful because when students depart school and enter the workplace they have trained articulating, sympathetic and management role conflicts in rational and effectual behavior.

Mitchell and Ybarra (2009) expressed that as the dependability increases on Facebook the danger of crime also strengthens. It supports its group users to tag everyone on into unfriendly activities and the rise of false information. It is also because of this reality that the actions that your users do with their own profiles also demonstrate on your profile.

Wang's (2013) study shows that by making a flexible personality youth of China discover customs to unite to everyone and to set up a web of informal faith that extends further than particularistic guanxi ties and strict institutions. This latest type of sociality gives youth a way to navigate Chinese culture not to cut off from or to insurgent against it. In doing so, youth are structuring the infrastructure of a social civilization by starting associations in which they start out as unfamiliar persons, thus bypassing potentially preventive social labels and structures that might otherwise prevent links. Through semi-anonymous casual relations youth of China are mainly looking for discovering their own social planet and to make touching relations, not impressive political change. Relatively than attempting to transform politics youth of China are using these new forms of social commitment to transform their relations themselves and everyone.

Jahan and Ahmed (2012) have been conducted a survey in Bangladesh perspective. They seek to recognize student observations about the educational use of SNSs. The consequences point out an optimistic approach towards educational use of SNSs by the students. Even though there are a few differences in terms of students? opinions on educational applications of SNSs these differences are mostly due to the information that they use of these sites in educational contexts is not well-defined.

According to a doctoral thesis of Arif (2014) in the latest revolution in Egypt and Tunisia social media played a central part in this revolution. Demonstrators used Facebook as the main resource of information in Egypt. Social media was the main source for following the latest development of government officials. And in Libya, the administration occasionally disconnects community contact to the internet; both the governments try to block the uses of social media throughout protests mostly unsuccessful.

Zia, Paracha, and Jan (2012) affirmed the status of YouTube among youth in Lahore. This research also shows that a number of adolescent using YouTube for entertainment and information purposes. Even though internet is one of the most lively media vehicles influencing the users than other communication vehicles so spectators are required to be attentive and use it wisely. This result reveals that YouTube has become a significant and essential element of adolescent daily activities. It is not astonishing that in a few cases adolescence may go beyond the real act of watching it for entertainment so parents and elders are recommended to stay attentive and check their activities. It is further recommended that effects of these entertainment movies must be targeted for research in future.

Habib (2012) conducted a study to recognize the uses types of Facebook by university students of Bangladesh and establish that they are using it mainly for conversation and gossiping with associates. This result indicates the changing of interpersonal relations format between students but he unsuccessful to recognize the nature of the changes as the study depends only on quantitative data. According to objectives every study has some particular theoretical structure. The researcher has found Uses and Gratification Theory useful for this study.

To find out the social media usage patterns among youth in South Punjab, Pakistan.

To explore the views of youth about different social media sites in South Punjab, Pakistan.

To find out the relationship between usages patterns of social media and its effects on the lifestyle of youth.

To find out the relationship between uses of social media and its impact on interaction patterns of youth with relatives, family, and friends.

To investigate and explore the motives behind social media usage among youth.

The hypotheses of the study are;

H1: There would be a significant association between education and consideration of social media as a major source of information about different events and happenings.

H2: The photo-sharing activity would be the preferred activity by the majority of the youth groups as compared to other activities like accessing poetry, videos, and quotations.




Research Design

This research study is going to deal with the survey as its research design. Surveys are amongst the most ordinary forms in the social sciences as well as in mass communication research. The present study is conducted in three selected districts of South Punjab province. In present study three selected districts are Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan which is divisional headquarters of South Punjab region. In the present study, a purposive sampling technique was used, the major objective of purposive sampling is to focus on the particular individuality of a population that is of interest which will best allow you to reply your research questions. 

Findings

Social Demographics of the Research Participants

Table 1. Gender
		Frequency	Percent	Valid    Percent	Cumulative Percent
	Male	638	63.8	63.8	63.8
	Female	362	36.2	36.2	100.0
	Total	1000	100.0	100.0

 

Table 2. Age

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
	17-19 Years	285	28.5	28.5	28.5
	20-22 Years	376	37.6	37.6	66.1
	23-25 Years	339	33.9	33.9	100.0
	Total	1000	100.0	100.0

 

Table 3. Education

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Under Matric / Matriculation	123	12.3	12.3	12.3
Intermediate	298	29.8	29.8	42.1
Graduation	326	32.6	32.6	74.7
Post-Graduation	253	25.3	25.3	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

Table 4. Internet Facility

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Land Line DSL	213	21.3	21.3	21.3
Wifi/Wireless	300	30.0	30.0	51.3
Cable Net	96	9.6	9.6	60.9
Mobile Data	391	39.1	39.1	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

 

Table 5. Employment Status

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Employed	383	38.3	38.3	38.3
Unemployed	617	61.7	61.7	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

 

Table 6. For what motives do you use social media?

Motives to use social media	Yes	No
Education	555 (56%)	445 (44%)
Entertainment	877 (88%)	123 (12%)
Information	419 (42%)	581 (58%)
Global Contact	666 (67%)	334 (33%)
Communication	388 (39%)	612 (61%)
For Personal Identity	607 (61%)	393 (39%)
Others	967 (97%)	33 (3%)

 

Table 7. Do you feel the addiction to use social media?

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Yes	858	85.8	85.8	85.8
No	142	14.2	14.2	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

 

Table 8. What sorts of contents are widely accessed by you using social media?

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Videos	132	13.2	13.2	13.2
Poetry	157	15.7	15.7	28.9
Photos	484	48.4	48.4	77.3
Quotations	227	22.7	22.7	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

The above table indicates the responses of the youth towards their motives behind uses of social media as it is clearly obvious from the data given in the table that the majority 88% were using social media as means of entertainment. The youth seeking education by using social media were 56%, seeking information was 42%, for global contact was 67. Similarly, 39% revealed that they are using for as a way of communication with friends while 61% reported having social media accounts for the sake of their personal identity in society.

The above table explains the outcomes of the respondents among youth to share their feelings regarding social media usage as their addiction. The findings indicated that the majority 86% of the youth groups shared that they feel as they are addicted to social media uses. While only 14% of the respondents shared not to have an addiction to use social networking websites.

The above table explains the responses of the respondents with regard to accessing different sorts of contents. It was revealed that 13% were accessing videos, 16% were getting poetry through social media and 48% were downloading or viewing photos while 23% were seeking quotations.

 

Table 9. Social media is decreasing your social interactions with neighbors.

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly Agree	359	35.9	35.9	35.9
Agree	235	23.5	23.5	59.4
Strongly Disagree	114	11.4	11.4	70.8
Disagree	211	21.1	21.1	91.9
Undecided	81	8.1	8.1	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

 

Table 10. Social media is decreasing your social interactions with relatives.

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly Agree	314	31.4	31.4	31.4
Agree	267	26.7	26.7	58.1
Strongly Disagree	247	24.7	24.7	82.8
Disagree	133	13.3	13.3	96.1
Undecided	39	3.9	3.9	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

The above table indicates the responses of the youth concerning social media are decreasing your social interactions with neighbors. It was revealed that 36% were strongly agreed, 24% were agreed, 11% were strongly disagreed, 21% showed disagreement while only 8% revealed that they are undecided towards this notion.

The above table indicates the response of the youth regarding social media is decreasing your social interactions with relatives. It was revealed that 31% were strongly agreed, 27% were agreed, 25% were strongly disagreed, 13% showed disagreement while only 4% revealed that they are undecided towards this notion.

 

Table 11: Social media is decreasing your social interactions with family.

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly Agree	93	9.3	9.3	9.3
Agree	107	10.7	10.7	20.0
Strongly Disagree	447	44.7	44.7	64.7
Disagree	298	29.8	29.8	94.5
Undecided	55	5.5	5.5	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

 

Table 12: Social media is decreasing your social interactions with friends.

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly Agree	427	42.7	42.7	42.7
Agree	214	21.4	21.4	64.1
Strongly Disagree	155	15.5	15.5	79.6
Disagree	161	16.1	16.1	95.7
Undecided	43	4.3	4.3	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

Table 13. Do you think social media is a source of more effective communication than other media?

	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Yes	858	85.8	85.8	85.8
No	142	14.2	14.2	100.0
Total	1000	100.0	100.0

The above table indicates the response of the youth regarding social media is decreasing your social interactions with family. It was revealed that 9% were strongly agreed, 11% were agreed, 45% were strongly disagreed, 30% showed disagreement while only 6% revealed that they are undecided towards this notion.

The above table indicates the response of the youth concerning social media is decreasing your social interactions with friends. It was revealed that 43% were strongly agreed, 21% were agreed, 16% were strongly disagreed, 16% showed disagreement while only 4% revealed that they are undecided towards this notion.

The above table illustrates the findings of the responses of youth about the effectiveness of social media than other media sources. It was revealed that majority 86% shared social media as most effective source as compared to other media while only 14% denied this notion. 

Conclusion and Discussion

Media has become an integral part of our lives now we are living in computer-mediated communication world. Our ways of life, as well as lifestyles, are highly influenced through the information communicated by different media sources. The current study aimed to explore and investigate the social media uses and gratifications among youth of Southern Punjab, Pakistan.

Southern Punjab is less-privileged area of Punjab province as compared to other regions of the province. The reason to focus this area was to determine the communication patterns and social media usage patterns among the youth. The researcher aimed to investigate the social media usage behavior, preferences, gratification, and motives of the youth aged between 17-25 years.

The researcher also focused on demographic variables like age, gender, education, employment status and type of internet facility to draw conclusions from their usage patterns. The finding also showed that videos, photos, and quotations were the leading content being accessed by most of the respondents using social networking sites on the internet. The majority was considering social media as most effective tool as compared to other media forms.

 

Findings of the Hypotheses

There would be a significant association between education and consideration of social media as a major source of information about different events and happenings.

The findings also supported this proposed statement of the researcher that education was the leading and contributing variable governing the use of social media as a major source of information.

 

Table 14.

Respondents	X	N	Sample P	Conclusion
Graduate	264	327	0.181321	Significant
Under Matric/ Matriculation	77	123	0.101074	-

Difference = p (1) - p (2)

Estimate for difference:  0.181323

95% lower bound for difference:  0.101094

Test for difference = 0 (vs > 0):  Chi-Square value = 3.72 P-Value = 0.000

Fisher's exact test: P-Value = 0.000

The statistical analysis shows that there was a significant association between education and consideration of social media as major sources of information about different events and happenings as compared to other sources like TV, newspaper, and others. As the Chi-square application of the test indicates the calculated P-value>0.05 which means the difference was significant. Therefore, the research hypothesis has approved and null has been disapproved.

The photo-sharing activity would be the preferred activity by the majority of the youth groups as compared to other activities like accessing poetry, videos, and quotations.

The findings revealed that photos sharing/accessing activity were the prevailing activity among youth of Southern Punjab which supports the researcher proposition with regard to widely accessed content on social media. The results support the hypothesized statement strongly.

 

Table. 15

Respondents	X	N	Sample P	Conclusion
Photos	484	1000	0.004710	Significant
Videos	131	1000	0.0356214	-

Difference = p (1) - p (2)

Estimate for difference:  0.126922

95% lower bound for difference:  0.1111231

Test for difference = 0 (vs. > 0):  Chi-Square Value = 8.43 P-Value = 0.000

Fisher's exact test: P-Value = 0.000

The statistical analysis clearly demonstrates that there was a significant difference between preferences of photo-sharing activity over other activities among youth while using social networking media sites. The P-Value of the Chi-square test clearly communicates significant preference for photo sharing as compared to video sharing, poetry or quotation sharing on social media. Thus the research hypothesis is approved.

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