Zhang Lu
ABSTRACT
This study examined the relationship between social media usage and subjective well-being among elderly people in Hunan, China. The thesis adopted a mixed-methods approach integrating quantitative data for statistical analysis with qualitative insights to enrich the understanding of the participants’ experiences. The sample comprises 450 Chinese older adults,n aged 60 and above, carefully selected through convenience sampling to represent a diverse cross-section of the elderly population in Hunan Province. Questionnaires collected data on their profiles and assessed their social media usage via the Social Networking Site Use and Needs (SNSUN) scale and subjective well-being via the Chinese Residents’ Subjective Well-being Scale. Statistical tools like frequency and Pearson correlation coefficients were employed to analyze the data. The participants’ level of social media usage and needs along diversion, affective need, personal integrative needs and social integrative needs is moderate. The participants’ level of social media usage and needs along cognitive needs is high. The participants’ level of subjective well-being along environment, psychological, social relationships and physical health is moderate. There are significant relationships between the participants’ level of subjective well-being in terms of the environment and social media usage and needs along diversion, cognitive needs, affective needs, personal integrative needs and social integrative needs. There are significant relationships between the participants’ level of subjective well-being in terms of the environment and social media usage and needs along diversion, cognitive needs, affective needs, personal integrative needs and social integrative needs. . There are negative correlations between the participants’ level of subjective well-being in terms of the physical health and social media usage and needs along diversion, cognitive needs, affective needs, personal integrative needs and social integrative needs. There are negative correlations between the participants’ level of subjective well-being in terms of the physical health and social media usage and needs along diversion, affective needs, personal integrative needs and social integrative needs. However, the study did not find links with cognitive needs.
Keywords: Older adults, social media needs, social media usage, subjective well-being
https://doi.org/10.57180/tmjx8207