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Abstract

University students frequently engage with social networking sites (SNS) in their daily lives, with social-media becoming increasingly influential in their identity and experiences. This study explored the role of social-media in University of Portsmouth undergraduate students’ (UoP) experiences with drinking, peer pressures, academic work and university culture. Existing data looks at the theme of drinking in relation to quantity rather drinking intentions. The influence SNS has on UoP students’ experiences with drinking, peer pressure, academia and university culture, at current, does not have a large number of existing research. Overall, existing literature on all the themes tends to predominantly be quantitative.

For this research, participants were collected through Facebook posts, posters around the UoP and snowball sampling. Data was conducted through the qualitative research method of semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were thematically analysed; which yielded the themes of 'balance', 'two-part university culture', 'social media and peer pressure' and 'student drinking'. Participants revealed a common experience of internal and external pressures from all the themes, with social media intensifying the pressure students felt. Importantly, students expressed feelings of disapproval towards the false depiction of university life online, especially towards the academic pressures at university. Findings are beneficial for understanding the impact social media has on the student experience and what factors throughout university shape students' experiences and identity construction.

Course: Sociology with Pyschology - BSc (Hons) - C1509

Date Deposited: 2020-02-10

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13522.html