MỐI QUAN HỆ GIỮA VIỆC SỬ DỤNG MẠNG XÃ HỘI VÀ CHỈ SỐ XÚC CẢM CỦA SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ NHẤT

<span class='text_page_counter'>(1)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=1>

RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIAL NETWORK USE

AND EMOTIONAL QUOTIENT AMONG FIRST YEAR STUDENTS

Bui Thi Kieu Giang*

TNU - University of Agriculture and Forestry

SUMMARY

The study determined the relationship of the social network use and emotional quotient of
freshmen at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF). The study was
conducted at TUAF using descriptive correlation method of research. 228 respondents were
selected through the stratified random sampling technique at 6 out of 8 faculties. Two
questionnaires namely Bar-on emotional intelligence inventory and social network questionnaire
were employed for the study. The results of the study revealed that majority of the respondents
were social network users and that they used mobile phones as the gadget. Respondents were
greatly benefitted in social network use for the information it provided. The findings revealed that
the emotional quotient of the freshmen was very low. The study concluded that there was a close
association between social network use and the general mood of the respondents. The study
recommended that social network users should use social network with moderation and discipline
and should be aware that social network use might influence them either positively and negatively.
Keywords: emotional quotient; Internet facility; social network; cyber-world; gadget

INTRODUCTION *

Social network is a cyber-world or internet
world where people choose social networking
sites to connect, share, and explore common
interest and activities with other users. There
are numerous social networking sites

available on the internet to choose from
particularly Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,
Flickr, YouTube, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Each social networking site offers unique
features, applications and services but all
serve a common purpose, that is to connect
people around the world. Social network use
offers both desirable and undesirable
outcome. In TUAF, most of the students seem
to be absorbed from using the internet for
social network. Noticeably, it is important to
understand the social network users so that
we are able to explain and predict social
network behaviours and at the same time
prevent and control behaviours.

Social network helps establish
social-emotional ability. Some freshmen would use
social network to express themselves through
a blog, thus help them to be self-aware and
may improve feelings. Social network helps

*_{Tel: 0983 368 666; Email:}

</div>
<span class='text_page_counter'>(2)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=2>

adolescence helps in coping with
developmental challenges. However, too
much use of social network may lead to
negative outcome.

The study proposed with a hypothesis that
there was no significant relationship between
the social network use and emotional quotient
of the respondents.

The findings of the study would help the
social network user realize that engaging in
social network may influence them and be
reminded that it would not always guarantee
desirable outcome but may cause them risk
and harm. For freshmen at TUAF, they would
be more mindful in engaging in social
network because it could influence them
either in a positive or negative manner. The
finding also supplied their parents with a
preventive measure and effort in establishing
social-emotional competencies with their
children though a face to face interaction so
that their children would not depend too much
from using social network that might have
positive or negative influence to them.
METHODOLOGY

The researcher used the descriptive
correlation research design method to
determine the relationship between social
network use and emotional quotient of the
respondents. The respondents of this study
were the first year students of 6 out of 8

faculties at TUAF using Stratified random
sampling with Slovin’s Formula to select 224
respondents. The main data gathering
instrument was social network use
questionnaire to determine the respondents’
profile and the indicators of social network
use of the respondents. The
Bar-On Emotional Intelligence-Inventory (Bar Bar-On
EQ-i:S) (2006) [3] was used which is
authored by Reuven Bar-On to determine the
respondents’ EQ level. The descriptive
statistics was used to determine the
respondents profile and the Emotional
quotient level of the respondents such as
mean, standard deviation, frequency count,
percentages and rank respectively. The alpha
level of significance 0.05 was used. To

determine the relationship of the EQ
dimensions and indicators of social network
use such as frequency, duration, length of
membership and different activities in social
network Pearson product moment correlation
was utilized. The Spearman correlation was
employed to analyze the relationship between
the respondents’ reason in joining social
network, benefits and problems in using
social network and their EQ dimensions. The
data were computed through IBM SPSS.
RESULTS

When asked about the distribution of
respondents in terms of sex. The outcome
indicates that there are more male respondents
with a frequency of 168 or 73.7 percent of the
population compared to the female respondents
with a frequency of 60 or 26.3 percent.

The study investigated the distribution of
respondents in terms of course. Most of the
respondents came from Animal Husbandry
and Veterinary Medicine with the frequency
58 or 25.4 percent. Respondents who came
from faculty of Biotechnology and Food
Technology and Faculty of Agronomy have
equal numbers of respondents with the
frequency of 42 or 18.4 followed by Faculty
of Forestry 41 or 18.0 percent. Then Faculty
of Economics and Rural Development with
23 or 10.1 per cent. Few of the respondents
came from Faculty of Resource Management
with only 22 or 9.6 percent.

</div>
<span class='text_page_counter'>(3)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=3>

When asked about time in using social
network, 94 or 40.7 percent of the respondents
use social network “anytime (as long as there
is an internet connection or when the services
are free)”, while 92 or 39.8 use social network
“during weekends only”. 23 or 10 percent use
social network after class while the least

portion of the respondents answered “during
break time” with 22 or 9.5 percent.

In terms of the mean of respondents’
frequency of social network use, respondents
use Facebook sometimes or two to three times
in a week with a weighted mean of 4.19 same
as through with google+ with a weighted
mean 3.86. YouTube is used occasionally by
the respondents with the mean of 3.45.
However, some of the respondents never use
social networking sites such as Instagram,
Flickr, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
In the search of the respondents’ rank reason
in joining social network, respondent’s first
reason is to get ideas and information with a
mean rank 2.25. The second reason of
respondents is to keep in touch and maintain
communication with friends with a mean rank
3.25. Third reason is to reunite with old
friends with a mean rank 3.92. Fourth, it is to
meet new friends with a mean rank 4.12.
Fifth, it is to get updates from friends,
celebrities and other artists with a mean rank
4.49. Sixth rank is to use social network for
past time with a mean rank 4.96. Seventh one
is to express myself and use social network as
personal diary/journal with a mean rank 5.09.
Lastly, the eighth or least reason is others
with a mean rank 6.90, where respondents are

to gain knowledge, to play games, for fun, get
updates from across countries, to be in,
communicate with family, other people and
relatives abroad.

Analysis of the respondents’ rank benefits of
using social network, the social network
satisfies their needs to get informed about the
latest trends and local issues including their
friend’s activities, and they gain new
information about their interest and other
interesting topics with a mean rank 3.47.
Second, it entertains the respondents

especially when bored with a mean rank 3.56.
Third, it helps the respondents relieve their
emotional concern and organize their
thoughts and feelings with a mean rank 4.14.
Fourth, respondents gain more friends and
helps them maintain connection with them
with a mean rank 6.82. Fifth, it inspires and
keep the respondents updated with a mean
rank 4.70. Sixth, it helps them forget their
problems for a while with a mean rank 3.56.
While the least benefit the respondents obtain
in social network is, it helps them to promote
business with a mean rank 6.82.

When asked about the respondents’ problems
encountered in using social network. The

results pointed out that first, respondents
neglect household task and school work to
spend more time online with a mean rank
2.53. Second, parents complain about the
amount of time the respondents spend online
with a weighted mean 2.83. Third, allowance
was spent for social network with a mean
rank 3.35. Fourth, social Network causes the
respondents to spend less time in face to face
interactions with a weighted mean 3.38. Fifth,
is respondents’ grade suffered with a mean
rank 4.11. Lastly, the least problem
encountered of respondents is, they
experience cyber-bullying and harassment
online with a mean rank 5.31.

Concerning with the respondents’ emotional
intelligence level along the EQ dimensions,
the data show that majority of the respondents
scored low on their intrapersonal scale with a
mean of 82.33. Respondents also obtained
low in stress management scale with a mean
of 82.0. It was also revealed that respondents
scored very low in adaptability scale with a
mean of 78.47. However, some of
respondents obtained markedly low in the
interpersonal scale with a mean of 66.82. In
general, the total EQ of the respondents is
very low with a mean of 77.79. This suggests
that respondents have a poor social and

emotional capacity.

</div>
<span class='text_page_counter'>(4)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=4>

has an r of .042 and P value of .787. On the
duration of social network use, the r is -.050
and P value is .809. Length of membership in
social network has r of -.021 and P value of
.951. On the reasons in joining social network,
the r is -.054 and P value of .133. Moreover,
different activities in social network has an r of
.027 and P value of .603. In the benefits of
social network use, it has an r of -.184 and P
value of .290. In the problems encountered in
using social network, it has r of .104 and P
value of .15. The data show that there is no
significant relationship and no correlation of
the indicators of Social Network Use and
Intrapersonal Scale of the respondents.

Analysis of the relationship of the
interpersonal scale of EQ and indicators of
social network use, the frequency of social
network Use, the r is .007 and .248 P value.
On the duration of social network use, it has r
of .028 and P value of .126. The length of
membership in social network has R of -.037
and P value of .192. Reasons in joining social
network has r of -.056 and P value of .75. The
different activities in social network has an r
of -.034 and P value of .175. The benefits of
social network use have an r of -.037 and P

value of .923. Problems in using social
network has an r of .045 and P value of .790.
The data show that, there is no significant
relationship and no correlation of the
indicators of social network use and
interpersonal scale of the respondent.
Looking into the relationship of the stress
management scale and indicators of social
network use, frequency of social network use

has an r of .039 and P value of .211. In the
duration of social network use where r is .006
and P value of .728. For the length of
membership in social network which has an r
of -.039 and P value of .882. In addition,
reasons in joining social network has an r of
-.045 and P value of .138. For the different
activities in social networking services which
has an r of -.032 and P value of .979. In the
benefits of social network use where r is .015
and P value of .614. In the problems
encountered in using social network, r is -.040
and P value of .391. The data show that there
is no significant relationship and no correlation
of the indicators of social network use and
stress management of the respondents.

Table 1 shows the relationship of the
adaptability scale and indicators of social
network use. In the frequency of social

network use, r is .051 and P value of .246. For
the duration of social network use, r is -.044
and P value of .369. Moreover, length of
membership in social network has an r of .000
and P value of .795. For the reasons in joining
social network which has an r of -.077 and P
value of .514. Different activities in social
network has an r of -.011 and P value of .597.
For the benefits of social network use which
has r of .038 and P value of .408. While, in
the problems encountered in using social
network having an r of -.001 and P value of
.597. The data show that there is no
significant relationship and no correlation of
the indicators of social network use and
adaptability of the respondents.

Table 1. Relationship of the Adaptability Scale and Indicators of Social Network Use
Indicators of Social Network Use Mean r (Correlation _coefficient) _{(Probability)}P Value Decision
Frequency of Social Network Use 1.8962 .051 .246 (NS) Accept HO
Duration of Social Network Use 3.8250 -.044 .369 (NS) Accept HO
Length of membership in Social Network 4.3207 .000 .795 (NS) Accept HO
Reasons in joining Social Network 4.0952 -.077 .514 (NS) Accept HO
Different activities in Social Network 2.1200 -.011 .597 (NS) Accept HO
Benefits of Social Network Use 4.4070 .038 .408 (NS) Accept HO
Problems encountered in using Social Network. 3.5971 -.001 .597 (NS) Accept HO

</div>
<span class='text_page_counter'>(5)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=5>

network has an r of .115 and P value of .693. Three figures above accepted HO. However,
reasons in joining social network has r of -.005, P value is .012, therefore, null hypothesis is
rejected. Otherwise, different activities in social network has an r of .016 and P value of .983.

While, in benefits of social network use which has r of -.095 and P value of .153. More so,
problems encountered in using social network has r of -.064 and P value of .586. Again, these
figures indicate that there are no significant relationship and no correlation to the general mood
scale of the respondents. These finding support the studies of LaRose & Eastin (2004) [4], Wise
et. al (2010) [5], Lang et. Al (2009) [6], Kuss & Griffiths (2011) [7], and Kramer, Guillory, &
Hancock (2014) [8].

Table 2. Relationship of the General Mood Scale and Indicators of Social Network Use
Indicators of Social Network Use Mean r (Correlation

coefficient) (Probability) P Value Decision
Frequency of Social Network Use 1.8962 .040 .950 (NS) Accept HO
Duration of Social Network Use 3.8250 .088 .971 (NS) Accept HO
Length of membership in Social Network 4.3207 .115 .693 (NS) Accept HO
Reasons in joining Social Network 4.0952 -.005 .012 (S) Reject HO
Different activities in Social Network 2.1200 .016 .983 (NS) Accept HO
Benefits of Social Network Use 4.4070 -.095 .153 (NS) Accept HO
Problems encountered in using Social Network. 3.5971 -.064 .586 (NS) Accept HO

Table 3 shows the relationship of the Total EQ and indicators of social network use. The
frequency of social network use has an r of .075 and P value of .541. The duration of social
network use has r of .016 and P value of .554, and length of membership in social network has r
of .008 and P value of .388; hence, these figures accept HO. However, reasons in joining social
network has r of -.102, P value is .015, therefore, null hypothesis is rejected. Furthermore,
different activities in social network has r of -.015 and P value of .291. Benefits of social network
Use has r of -.122 and p value of .226. Problems encountered in using social network has r of
.025 and P value of .216, which show no significant relationship and no correlations to the Total
EQ of the respondents.

Table 3. Relationship of the Total EQ and Indicators of Social Network Use

Indicators of Social Network Use Mean r (Correlation _coefficient) _{(Probability)}P Value Decision
Frequency of Social Network Use 1.8962 .075 .541 (NS) Accept HO
Duration of Social Network Use 3.8250 .016 .554 (NS) Accept HO
Length of membership in Social Networking site 4.3207 .008 .388 (NS) Accept HO
Reasons in joining Social Network 4.0952 -.102 .015 (S) Reject HO
Different activities in Social Network 2.1200 -.015 .291 (NS) Accept HO
Benefits of Social Network Use 4.4070 -.122 .226 (NS) Accept HO
Problems encountered in using Social Network. 3.5971 .025 .216 (NS) Accept HO

CONCLUSIONS

There is a close association between social
network use and the general mood of the
respondents. Hence, the use of social network
influences the mood of the respondents. The
more exuberant the freshmen are the lesser is
the likelihood of using social networking
sites. While, the less exuberant they are the
greater is the motivation of joining social
networking sites.

RECOMMENDATIONS

University leaders should make an effort to
enrich the emotional quotient of the freshmen
by conducting programs and trainings that
focus on how the students could understand
and express themselves, on how to understand
and relate with others, and on how to cope

with daily demands and pressures.

</div>
<span class='text_page_counter'>(6)</span><div class='page_container' data-page=6>

intelligence which is very essential key to
success in every field of life.

Parents should educate their children about
the potential hazard of social network use to
prevent their children of being a victim to any
harm and risk online.

Social Network users should use social
network with moderation and discipline. They
should be aware that social network use may
influence them either positively and
negatively. Thus, they should use social
network responsibly to harness the benefits of
social network. Lastly, they should find time
to disconnect and always make themselves
available for face to face interaction.

REFERENCES

1. Seligman, Martin E.P (1991), Learned
Optimism: How to change your mind and your
life. New York.

2. Nissim, M., & Barak A. (2013), The
Therapeutic Value of Adolescents’ Blogging About
Social –Emotional Difficulties. Retrieved from

3. Bar-On, R. (2006), The Bar-On Model of Social
and Emotional Intelligence (ESI) (1). University

of Texas Medical Branch. Retrieved from

4. LaRose, R., Donghee, Y., Ellison, N., Steinfield,
C. Facebook fiends: Compulsive Social Networking
and Adjustment to College. Retrieved from

facebook-fiends cameracopy final.pdf

5. Kevin Wise, Ph.D., Saleem Alhabash, M.A., and
Hyojung Park, M.A. (2010), Emotional Responses
During Social Information Seeking on Facebook.
Retrieved from DOI: 10.1089=cyber.2009.0365
wap10.pdf
6. Lang GI, et al. (2009), “The cost of gene
expression underlies a fitness trade-off in yeast”.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 106(14), pp.
5755-5560. Retrieved from stgenome.
org/ reference/S000129667

7. Kuss, D.J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2011), Online
Social Networking and Addiction - A Review of the
Psychological Literature. Retrieved from
/>94102/

8. Kramer, A.D., Guillory, J.E. and Hancock, J.T.
(2014), “Experimental Evidence of Massive-Scale
Emotional Contagion through Social Networks”,
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
111, 8788-8790. Retrieved from
10.1073/pnas.1320040111

TÓM TẮT

MỐI QUAN HỆ GIỮA VIỆC SỬ DỤNG MẠNG XÃ HỘI VÀ CHỈ SỐ XÚC CẢM
CỦA SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ NHẤT

Bùi Thị Kiều Giang

Trường Đại học Nông Lâm - ĐH Thái Nguyên

Nghiên cứu xác định mối liên hệ giữa việc sử dụng mạng xã hội và chỉ số xúc cảm của sinh viên
năm thứ nhất tại Trường Đại học Nông Lâm - ĐH Thái Nguyên. Nghiên cứu này được thực hiện
tại Trường Đại học Nông Lâm – ĐH Thái Nguyên sử dụng phương thức so sánh miêu tả. 228 sinh
viên được lựa chọn làm đối tượng nghiên cứu thông qua việc lựa chọn ngẫu nhiên của 6 trên tổng
số 8 khoa. Hai bảng câu hỏi cụ thể là bản đánh giá về chỉ số thông minh, xúc cảm Bar-on và bảng
câu hỏi sử dụng mạng xã hội được sử dụng cho mục đích nghiên cứu. Kết quả của nghiên cứu chỉ
ra rằng phần lớn sinh viên sử dụng mạng xã hội và sinh viên sử dụng điện thoại di động để truy
cập mạng xã hội. Sinh viên đã đạt được nhiều ích lợi từ việc sử dụng mạng xã hội. Kết quả của
nghiên cứu chỉ ra rằng chỉ số xúc cảm của sinh viên rất thấp. Nghiên cứu cũng kết luận rằng có
mối liên hệ chặt chẽ giữa việc sử dụng mạng xã hội và tâm trạng chung của sinh viên. Nghiên cứu
cũng đề xuất rằng người sử dụng mạng xã hội nên sử dụng với mức hạn chế và có quy định, và
cũng nên nhận thức rõ rằng sử dụng mạng xã hội có thể ảnh hưởng tích cực hoặc tiêu cực đến họ.
Từ khoá: Chỉ số xúc cảm; công cụ sử dụng Internet; Mạng xã hội; Không gian mạng; thiết bị

Ngày nhận bài: 20/8/2018; Ngày phản biện: 19/9/2018; Ngày duyệt đăng: 28/9/2018

</div>

<!--links-->