SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIAL INTERACTION: ANALYSING THE RELATIONSHIP THROUGH THE LENS OF SOCIAL INTERACTION THEORY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37231/apj.2025.8.SI1.815Abstract
Research related to the impacts of social media on everyday social interactions, which contributed to two factors. However, there are still extremely limited studies on environment, lifestyle, and social media usage that can contribute to the impact of social media on social interactions. The research objectives for this research are to identify the relationship between the impact of social media and social interaction. This study applied the Social Interactions theory as the main theory to further strengthen the relationship between each variable. Quantitative methods were applied in this study, and data were collected through the distribution of questionnaires to 202 respondents. This study’s theoretical foundation is based on the social interaction theory. The theory suggests that social interaction plays a significant role in shaping an individual’s understanding, learning, and personal development. The results of this study demonstrate that social media plays a new role in the theory that can facilitate and enhance social interaction. Studies have shown that people are more inclined to voice their opinions honestly when they obtain information from social media. This is because social media offers an extensive opportunity for communication and allows many people to freely express their opinions. Social media platforms make it accessible for information to be rapidly and broadly distributed, even among individuals who reside outside of cities. Given today is the time of advanced technology, the majority of people use social media daily, which indicates that people use it as a tool to connect with others in their immediate social circles and a location where they can acquire information more quickly.
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