Nowadays, in the age of digitization, social media has become an integral part of students' day-to-day lives as well as academics. Undergraduate students often make use of social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Twitter for communicating, having fun, engaging academically, and sharing information. Growing involvement of students into these sites has aroused a growing curiosity amongst researchers regarding the Social Media Affinity and its educational effects. This research is based on studying the extent of Social Media Affinity amongst undergraduate students. The methodology that has been adopted in this research is the descriptive survey method which was carried out amongst a sample of 600 undergraduate students from Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University. The data gathering process involved the creation of a Self-developed Social Media Affinity Questionnaire with such dimensions as Usage and Distraction, Academic and Educational Usage, and Social and Emotional Connection. Reliability of the survey was ensured by using Test-Retest Method, Split-Half Method, and Cronbach’s Alpha Method. Findings of the research show that there is moderate to high Social Media Affinity among undergraduate students. It was identified that undergraduate students use social networking websites for communication, collaboration, and education on a regular basis. The study shows that social networks are becoming increasingly important in academic and educational processes of students. However, high level of use can contribute to distractions and low concentration during academic work. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies for encouraging the constructive use of social media resources by undergraduates. It is necessary that educational establishments and teachers help students in making effective use of social networking websites for educational purposes and responsible online interactions.
Baghel, J. & Singh, S. (2026). Social Media Affinity among College Students. International Journal of Innovations & Research Analysis, 06(02(I)), 158–164. https://doi.org/10.62823/IJIRA/06.02(I).9071
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