Written Assignment Unit 1 Health

sciences Department, University of the

people

SOC 1502-01 Introduction to

Sociology

Professor Thomas Allen

Nov 20,2023

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE ON

TEEN MENTAL HEALTH

roadmap guiding researchers using experiments, surveys, and other tools to explore social

interactions. Even though people are diverse, this method gives structure to studying their

behavior objectively. It involves observing, asking questions, and forming educated guesses

called hypotheses. These steps help us learn more about people's lives, beliefs, and behaviors in a

reliable and logical way.

The first three steps of the scientific method are as follows

 Ask a Question: This step is about pinpointing what you want to study (Little, 2016). It

should be a specific yet important question. For example, how do personal habits reflect

cultural values or what makes people shift from caring moderately about politics to using

violence for political reasons?

 Research Existing Sources: After asking the question, researchers look at what others

have already studied about this topic. They read articles, books, and studies to understand

what's already known. This helps them refine their question and make sure they're not

repeating what others have done. (Little, 2016)

 Formulate a Hypothesis: This is like making an educated guess about what you think

might be true. It's based on what you've read and observed. For instance, in a scientific

way, you might guess how one thing influences another in human behavior. This guess

can be tested to see if it's right or not. It's like a guide for the research process. (Little,

2016)

These steps illustrate how the scientific method is applied in sociology, from defining the

research question to formulating a testable hypothesis based on existing knowledge and

observations.
 SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE ON TEEN MENTAL

HEALTH

My topic for today's writing assignment will be “Social media influence on teen

mental health”. So, let's delve into today's topic.

Ask a Question:

How does prolonged exposure and interaction with social media platforms impact the mental

well-being and psychological development of teenagers?

Research Existing Sources:

Valkenburg, P. M., Meier, A., & Beyens, I. (2021). Research paper Social media use and its

impact on adolescent mental health: An umbrella review of the evidence. This comprehensive

review likely provides an extensive overview of existing studies on how social media affects

mental health among teenagers.

Martin, F., Wang, C., Petty, T., Wang, W., & Wilkins, P. (2018). Middle School Students’ Social

Media Use. This is a journal article that focusses on specific aspects of social media usage

among middle school students and its implications, potentially offering insights into early social

media behaviors and their effects.

Kearney, M. S., & Levine, P. B. (2015). This journal article Media Influences on Social

Outcomes: The Impact of MTV's "16 and Pregnant" on Teen Childbearing. Although not directly

about mental health, this article might offer valuable insights into media influences on teenage
behavior, which could be relevant to understanding broader social outcomes related to social

media use.

The fourth article is a book chapter "7 Conclusion: why do they love social media?" from a book

titled "Social Media in Emergent Brazil: How the Internet Affects Social Mobility." While

focusing on Brazil, this chapter might offer insights into the motivations and implications of

social media use in a broader social context.

Formulating a Hypothesis:

Increased duration and intensity of social media use among teenagers correlate positively with

higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, impacting their overall mental well-

being negatively

LETTER REQUEST FUNDING FOR STUDY

Subject: Request for Funding: Investigating Social Media's Impact on Teen Mental Health

Dear Philanthropic or grant Organization's

I trust this message finds you well. I'm a committed student at the University of the People,

driven by a profound interest in understanding the complexities teenagers face in our digitally

driven world. I'm reaching out to request your support for a vital research project centered on

exploring the connection between social media use among adolescents and its effects on mental

health.

My passion for advancing sociological understanding drives me to uncover the intricate

relationship between social media engagement and the mental well-being of teenagers.
Valkenburg, Meier, and Beyens' (2021) comprehensive umbrella review showcased varying

insights into the relationship. Highlighting the complexities, the study revealed differing

findings, with some indicating weak associations between social media use and higher ill-being,

while others suggested connections to both higher well-being and ill-being. This nuanced

perspective underscores the need for deeper investigations and longitudinal studies to decipher

causality and identify specific factors influencing the impact of social media on adolescent

mental health.

Moreover, Martin et al.'s (2018) research delved into the primary causes of distress stemming

from social media. Their findings emphasize how cyberbullying, digital footprints, and privacy

concerns contribute significantly to unnatural standards, particularly affecting teen girls as

discussed in Media Influences on Social Outcomes: The Impact of MTV's "16 and Pregnant" on

Teen Childbearing. In today's context, societal pressures for a perfect body image instigate harm,

creating unrealistic expectations that often lead to distress. Cyberbullying amplifies this,

perpetuating humiliation and harm publicly. (Kearney & Levine, 2015).

This research initiative aims to unpack these intricate dynamics, examining the nuanced impact

of social media on adolescent mental health and delineating the underlying causes contributing to

distress. Your support will enable us to conduct in-depth analyses, potentially paving the way for

informed interventions and policy decisions to safeguard the mental well-being of our youth in

this digital age.

Your support for this endeavor would not only enable the execution of this vital research but also

contribute significantly to the ongoing discourse on adolescent mental health within the broader

sociological landscape. We are committed to transparency, rigorous methodology, and ethical

research practices, ensuring the credibility and relevance of our findings.

detailed plan outlining the project's methodology and expected outcomes. Your consideration

and support for this research endeavor would be invaluable in addressing the pressing concerns

surrounding teen mental health in the digital era.

Thank you for considering our request. Your philanthropic contribution would make a tangible

difference in enhancing our understanding of this crucial societal issue.

Warm regards,

Rameen Naseer Uddin

University of the People

Kearney, M. S., & Levine, P. B. (2015). Media Influences on Social Outcomes: The Impact of

MTV’s “16 and Pregnant” on Teen Childbearing. The American Economic Review, 105(12),

3597–3632. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43821387

Martin, F., Wang, C., Petty, T., Wang, W., & Wilkins, P. (2018). Middle School Students’ Social

Media Use. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 21(1), 213–224.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/26273881

Valkenburg, P. M., Meier, A., Beyens, I., Krabbendam, L., & Braams, B. (2022). Social media

use and its impact on adolescent mental health: An umbrella review of the evidence. Amsterdam

School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; School of Business,

Economics and Society, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X21001500