The impact of undergraduate students' perceived social media empowerment in their engagement in sustainability practices: a predictive study

Undeniably, the contemporary world is amid a digital revolution, where digital technology has emerged as a powerful, transformative tool that fosters engagement in sustainability initiatives. In light of that contention, this predictive study explored social media empowerment through participation and engagement, access to resources and support, and self-expression and control, analysing their influence on students' engagement in sustainability practices. Based on the quantitative approach and cross-sectional design, pertinent data were collected from 510 undergraduate students using a closed-ended self-developed questionnaire. Subsequently, the collected numerical data were subjected to quantitative analysis, employing descriptive and inferential analysis. The three hypotheses developed were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). The study findings revealed that all three hypotheses were accepted, establishing a positive and statistically significant relationship between social media empowerment and students' perceived engagement in sustainability practices. While all exogenous constructs influenced endogenous constructs, their magnitude of impact varied. The construct of participation and engagement (β=0.311, p<.0001, R2=0.469) depicted the highest predictive power, followed by access to resources and support (β=0.106, p=0.041, R2=0.210). The construct of self-expression and control (β=0.319, p<.0001, R2=0.102) established the lowest predictive power. Therefore, the observed variation underscores the differential role of each construct in enhancing students' engagement in sustainability practices. The findings signify the importance of comprehensive approaches in promoting sustainable practices among undergraduate students through meaningful engagement on social media.