Examining the Relationship between Social Media Use and Academic Motivation among University Students

The rapid proliferation of social media platforms has transformed how university students communicate, access information, and engage with academic content. While these platforms offer numerous educational benefits, concerns persist regarding their potential to distract students and diminish academic motivation. This study examined the relationship between social media use and academic motivation among university students, employing a quantitative, cross-sectional research design. A structured questionnaire, based on the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) and adapted social media usage metrics, was administered to a stratified random sample of 300 students from diverse academic disciplines. Descriptive statistics were used to assess patterns of social media use and levels of intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a significant negative association between excessive social media use and intrinsic academic motivation (r = –.41, p < .001), while moderate, purposeful use was positively linked to extrinsic motivation related to career goals (r = .29, p < .01). Regression analysis indicated that social media usage frequency and purpose jointly explained 34% of the variance in academic motivation. Based on these findings, it is recommended that universities promote balanced and purposeful social media engagement through digital wellness programs, integrate academic content into social platforms to leverage their positive potential, and provide training on effective time management for students.