(Hyper)Connectivity: Does it have any real effects?

This thesis tries to explore the connection between (hyper)connectivity and its tendencies towards university student’s wellbeing and academic performance. Facebook was used as a case study in this research because it is the most popular social networking site in the world. Focus group interviews were conducted with a sample consisting of 19 master and pre-master university students following management, finance or law programmes. The results showed no strong relationship between hyperconnectivity via Facebook use, wellbeing and academic performance. This lack of relationship could be due to an unsuitable conceptual model which oversimplified the reality. While there is evidence of both positive and negative tendencies of Facebook use and connectivity towards students’ study habits and academic preparation, no conclusive statements can be made. The issue of students feeling addicted to Facebook and to their mobile phones arose, however, it could not be fully explored within the scope of this research. In conclusion it can be argued that students are aware of having a choice when it comes to staying connected or not and that they exercise this decision-making power accordingly. They are not victims of technology and connectivity as some academics would argue, they form and reform technology and their habits of using it. This makes it a rather difficult issue to study, as it is constantly changing and evolving. Several possibilities for future research would include using a more complex conceptual model that is more representative of the real world interactions between the variables as well as focusing on possible age and status comparisons between bachelor and master students or exploring similarities and differences between mobile phone and Facebook addiction.