Discussion
This study does support the hypothesis that Facebook habits can be
detrimental to GPA. However, it may not be the website in its entirety
that causes this trend. The data also provides evidence that Facebook,
used as a means of communication, will increase the amount of time
spent on Facebook. This relationship is different from people who use
Facebook as a way just to keep up with friends. So maybe students should
be more aware of how they are using the site and that might decrease
how distracting the site can be. It must be noted that all of the data is
correlational and therefore there is no proof that one of these factors
causes another. It may be a combination of Facebook, the belief that social
life is an important aspect to college, and all of the other factors examined.
However, the data does show that a relationship does exist between time
spent on Facebook and GPA even if the cause is unknown. Facebook has
become so integrated with the college experience that it is important that
students know how to manage the time spent on Facebook and how to use
the time they do spend on Facebook on less distracting aspects of the site.
Further studies are needed to determine just how students can use this
site effectively but it is clear that this site in some way is distracting college
students and it is harming the academic success of students that have the
potential to achieve a higher grade point average.
Table 1 Significant correlation coefficients of Facebook survey items
Test Question Correlation Coefficient
Having a Facebook account and Age of student .209**
How many different uses of Facebook the student actually uses and
Gender .203**
Time spent studying and Class related internet use .353**
Time spent on projects and Class related internet use .314**
Time Spent on Facebook and GPA -.208**
Time Spent on Facebook and Class related internet use .244**
Application use and Age .209**
Time Spent on Facebook and Chat Use .554**
Time spent on Facebook and Application Use .551**
Feeling left out when not logged in and Gender -.200**
Feeling left out when not logged in and Time spent on Facebook -.221**
Feeling left out when not logged in and How many different uses of
Facebook the student actually uses -.248**
Having a Facebook account and Importance of Facebook on social life
.208**
How many different uses of Facebook the student actually uses and
Importance on social life -.320**
How many different uses of Facebook the student actually uses and Social
interaction from Facebook -.195**
How many different uses of Facebook the student actually uses and Opinion
on how much time of internet use is devoted to Facebook -.208**
Feeling left out when not logged in and Importance of a social life
.210**
Feeling left out when not logged in and Importance of Facebook on Social
Life .548**
Importance of Facebook on Social Life and Importance of a social life
.351**
Social Interaction from Facebook and Feeling left out when not logged in
.377**
Social Interaction from Facebook and Distraction from studying .210**
Social Interaction from Facebook and Importance of a social life .189**
Opinion on how much time of internet use is devoted to Facebook and
Feeling left out when not logged in .200**
Opinion on how much time of internet use is devoted to Facebook and
Distraction from Studying .345**
Importance of Facebook on Social life and Social interaction from Facebook
.472**
Importance of Facebook on Social life and Opinion on how much time of
internet use is devoted to Facebook .236**
Social Interaction from Facebook and Opinion on how much time of internet
use is devoted to Facebook .365**
*Footnote: the ** indicates that p