Research has shown that 80% of college students procrastinate; a practice that many college students are far too familiar with. Most college students would probably admit that they have procrastinated on an assignment at some point in their years of school, and even on a regular basis. Additionally, putting off the responsibilities of school and scrolling on Instagram is something we have all probably done. Chinese researchers Ruihang Shen of Northwestern University and Meina Liu of George Washington University conducted research in this area of study, attempting to gain further understanding in different cultures on how and why students procrastinate in relation to their time orientation, social media usage, and various coping styles. They studied from a cross cultural perspective how and why social media usage may or may not effect procrastination in China and the United States.
Studies indicate that procrastination is related to other traits such as low confidence, stress, depression, anxiety, forgetfulness, disorganization, and a lack of energy that all reveal poor psychological wellbeing. Shen and Liu studied the role social media plays in relationship to procrastination; does it contribute to a poor psychological wellbeing or help mitigate it? When students were coping together and supporting one another, their stress levels decreased and so did their frequency of procrastination. In comparison, when students seek support online it raises their avoidance levels and promotes internet addictions.
The participants for this study were 224 college students attending Chinese and American universities, 123 students being Chinese and 101 being American. The average age was 21. Of the 123 Chinese students, 78 were female and 45 were male. Of the American students, 87 were women and 18 were male. The Chinese participants on average spent 4.48 hours a day on social media, and American participants spend an average of 3.71 hours.
Having a high consideration for future consequences, or being more concerned for how current actions will affect your future, led to less procrastination. If the participant had a present time orientation, they were more likely to procrastinate. Motives for using social media were recorded to determine the reasoning behind someone using social media apps.
Essentially, what motivated them to pick up their phone and log into social media? For example, one of the response options to be chosen was, “I use social media because it’s enjoyable.” Coping styles were recorded to better understand why a participant may engage in an action to manage their stress. Such as answering, “I do this a lot” when asked “Do you seek emotional support from others when you are stressed out?” Additional avoidance tendencies were measured through asking questions regarding the characteristics of a person who procrastinates. Such as the tendency of feeling rushed when completing an online task.
The results of this study reported that Chinese students were overall more likely to procrastinate than American students. They had similar reports of concerns for future consequences and their high use of avoidant coping tendencies. American students reported to be more likely to use social media for entertainment reasons. This includes going on social media to watch videos, connect with influencers and generally be entertained. Another strong desire to use social media can be to solve problems and seek out information. Both of these contribute to avoidant tendencies because students are ultimately reaching for their phones instead of completing their work. The use of social media for entertainment or relaxation instead of completing an assignment reflects the lack of both prioritization of tasks and future goal orientation by college students.
Those who live in the “right now” moments and don’t consider what is ahead are far more likely to procrastinate. We think we are using social media to find information to help with our procrastination of an assignment, but we actually procrastinate more. When this happens students may be experiencing a psychological trap. Being mindful of future goals and future consequences is key in resisting social media use at poor times and overall eliminating procrastination in our lives.
So, what does this mean for the practice of Integrated Marketing Communication? It is important to look at research like this to understand how specific target audiences operate. When planning to market and communicate to college students through social media, it is essential to understand how and why they use social media. Understanding that some of the main reasons students use social media are for entertainment, relaxation, problem solving and information seeking will help an IMC team to target their messages with precision. Identifying motivations behind college students’ choices, which can lead to procrastination, further provide information when marketing to this group. When IMC experts know these motivations are attributed to time orientation and coping styles they are more equipped to market to this audience effectively. Certain services or products can be advertised to this demographic that would not be applicable to others. Ultimately, research such as Shen and Liu’s teaches IMC professionals how to use a targeted consumer approach informed by the habits and desires of the audience.
Olivia Nelson is a senior majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Studio Art with a focus in Integrated Marketing Communication and Graphic Design. When she isn’t studying brand strategies or practicing her design skills, she enjoys trips to the beach and a warm cup of coffee.
Source:
Shen, R, Liu M. Time Orientation, Social Media Use, and Coping Style: Cultural Similarities and Differences in How and Why College Students Procrastinate. Chine Media Research, 2019.
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Hi, I thought this blog post was very interesting! I am going into my junior year of college pretty soon and I thought this blog post suited well for college students. I have always procrastinated and always wondered why I always wait till the last minute for school work or any task. I usually keep things at the last minute due to me going on social media, watching youtube or simply avoiding school work all together. Your post actually gave me some insight on how I can cope and not procrastinate so much. I tend to find that it is easier to get things done when I push myself or gain that energy. I lack energy all the time and get overwhelmed with my anxiety and I believe that is why I tend to constantly procrastinate. I have also noticed when I study with a group, I gain more energy and helps me to concentrate on school work and get things done.
This is interesting to read. I am definitely guilty of procrastinating and using social media as a tool to help me procrastinate. I am a very organized person and keep track of deadlines pretty religiously, but getting myself to complete certain assignments early is like pulling teeth. I find myself taking a “break” from working on assignments, scrolling through social media, and often losing track of time completely. I agree that researching this and understanding the main reasons college students use social media is important from an IMC aspect. Using research to better target specific audiences is important to effectively market.
This is great blog post, and it was very interesting to see how procrastination works across cultures. I personally try to get work done as soon as it is posted so I do not have to worry about it in the future, but I would lying if I said I never procrastinate. While reading this blog, I found it interesting that Americans were found to be less active on social media because it is almost a stereotype to assume we are one of its heaviest users. Also, I did not realize how much the connection between procrastination and social media related to IMC, but knowing your target audience and completely understanding them and their motives is a huge part of marketing. I will definitely keep this blog post in the back of my mind for my future IMC courses.
This was interesting because it talks about something you hear all your friends talking about. “I still have to start the project thats due tomorrow”. And you too are most likely guilty of doing this at least once in your academic lifetime. This blog post gave an interesting view into the cultural similarities and/or differences as well as how it relates to social media and really understanding your target audience. I’m glad I found and picked this article, I gained strong insight through the stats and much more, not to mention, it’s something I believe we all can relate to.