Date

8-9-2024

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Cari Oliver

Keywords

Media, Influence, Development, Free will, Young adults

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

The study examines from a Christian worldview how free will, regarded as God's greatest gift, is now being shaped by human influence. New treatment methods become essential to adapt to the media-changing world and help with developmental delays. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory lite study was to explore Internet media’s influence on young adults in Quebec, Canada. Data on Internet media demographics, social behavior, identity, influence, emotional self-regulation, and moral decision-making were collected by conducting twelve semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews with young adults in Quebec. The responses were coded into six primary themes, with an intercoder conducting a cross-verification to enhance the validity of the coding process. The interviews revolved around the three research questions on how the experiences of young adults with heavy internet media use relate to social behavior, identity, and self-regulation developmental delays. Participants were 18 to 32 years old, with no struggles with identity, previous diagnosis, or trauma. The results showed that all twelve participants were heavy media users and eleven of them used it for entertainment. Some results supported it while others refuted previous research on media influence on development. The implications of the data closed the gap regarding the extent Internet media influences social (identity and social behavior) and socio-emotional (self-regulation of emotions) development, by adding qualitative data to quantitative numbers. Understanding these relationships and their signs will better prepare those in a helping role (counselors, therapists, and all caregivers) to monitor and intervene.

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS