Table Of ContentFACEBOOK®ADDICTION, INTENSIVE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE USE,
MULTITASKING, AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE, AND TURKEY:
A MULTIGROUP STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING APPROACH
A dissertation submitted to the
Kent State University College
of Education, Health, and Human Services
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
By
Ipek Ozer
August 2014
© Copyright, 2014 by Ipek Ozer
All Rights Reserved
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A dissertation written by
Ipek Ozer
B.S., Isik University, 2006
M.S., Bahcesehir University, 2009
M.S., Kent State University, 2010
Ph.D., Kent State University, 2014
Approved by
_________________________, Co-director, Doctoral Dissertation Committee
Tricia Niesz
_________________________, Co-director, Doctoral Dissertation Committee
Jian Li
_________________________, Member, Doctoral Dissertation Committee
Christopher A. Was
_________________________, Member, Doctoral Dissertation Committee
Aryn C. Karpinski
Accepted by
_________________________, Director, School of Foundations, Leadership
Shawn Fitzgerald and Administration
_________________________, Dean, College of Education, Health and Human Services
Daniel F. Mahony
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OZER, IPEK, Ph.D, August 2014 Evaluation and Measurement
FACEBOOK® ADDICTION, INTENSIVE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE USE,
MULTITASKING, AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND TURKEY: A MULTIGROUP
STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING APPROACH (211 pp.)
Co-Director of Dissertation: Tricia Niesz, Ph.D.
Jian Li, Ph.D.
Research has shown since 2008 that social networking site (SNS) use comprises
the majority of time spent on the Internet. The age distribution and large amount of time
spent on SNSs evoke a new research era: How students use SNSs and how the uses of
SNSs impact their academic performance. The main objective of the pilot study was to
investigate the relationship between time spent on SNSs, frequency of SNS use,
multitasking with SNSs, time spent studying, and Grade Point Average (GPA). In the
first part, the cross-cultural differences between the United States (US; n = 444) and
European college students (n = 346) were examined using path models.
After examining the path models, a new survey was administered with additional
items (with existing reliability and validity evidence). The purpose of the main study was
to define new constructs using observed variables. These constructs were Facebook®
addiction, multitasking with SNSs while studying, using SNSs for school work, the
amount of time spent on SNSs, college self-efficacy, and academic performance. A
structural equation model (SEM) was developed using the above constructs. SEM has
many advantages compared to path analysis, and it was used to compare two countries:
the US (n = 226) and Turkey (TR; n = 200). This exploratory investigation focused on
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the following main goals: (a) testing if Facebook® addiction and intensive SNS use
impact academic performance, (b) identifying the variables that directly or indirectly
impact SNS use and academic performance, (c) understanding the impact of Facebook®
addiction on general SNS use and academic performance, (d) indicating relationships
between the variables, and (e) probing the differences between university students from
different cultures (i.e., the US and TR).
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Dedicated to my family…
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ACKNOWLEDMENTS
I would like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my career.
First, I would like to express a deep sense of gratitude to my loving family - my
mum, Nuran Sakarya Özer, my dad, Mesut Özer, and my brother, Mert Özer - who have
given me the roots and wings to succeed in this world. My dad taught me to be patient
and determined, my mum taught me to follow my goals and dreams as well as to believe
in myself, and my brother taught me to be strong. I would not be who I am without my
family’s constant love, encouragement, moral support, and blessings over the years.
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Aryn Karpinski, my mentor and advisor, for
supporting me during these past four years. Without her support, none of this would be
possible. I would like to thank her not only for this dissertation, but also for her patience
and guidance during my doctoral career.
I would like to thank the members of my dissertation committee - Dr. Tricia
Niesz, Dr. Jian Li, and Dr. Christopher Was - for their time their intellectual contributions
to my research. I would like to thank Dr. Andrew Lepp for serving as the Graduate
Faculty representative for my dissertation defense.
I wish to express my deepest thanks and gratitude to Dr. I. Richmond Nettey,
Associate Dean of College of Applied Engineering, and Dr. Catherine Hackney,
Associate Dean of College of Education, Health, and Human Services for their
professional support during my higher education, and specifically during my dissertation
defense. Their support was persuasive.
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I also take this opportunity to thank Dr. Shawn M. Fitzgerald, for admitting me
into the evaluation and measurement PhD program in 2010. It was such a great learning
experience to work as a graduate assistant, and then as a part time instructor. I would like
to thank Dr. Linda Robertson for her tremendous professional and personal support
during my Kent experience.
I wish to acknowledge and thank the administrators and staff in the College of
Education, Health, and Human Services, specifically Nancy Miller, Luci Wymer, Laura
Taylor, Debra Roeder and Tammy Kersting for their kindly guidance and patience.
I would like to thank the Graduate Student Senate and School of Foundations,
Leadership and Administration at Kent State University, for giving me the opportunity to
attend national and international conferences, present my research, and meet
professionals.
It was not easy to be alone and be away home for five years. I would like to
express my thanks to my cousins Fuat and Maribel Şen, Damla Sakarya, Emirhan Özer,
and Berk Özer for their long distance support. I also would like to thank my friends who
cheered me along when the road became difficult. Especially, thanks to my colleagues
and classmates Dr. Pius Ochwo, Joseph A. Salem Jr., Edward Bowden, and Jennifer
Mellott, and to my former colleagues from Bahcesehir University, I would like to thank
to my friends in Kent – Mesut Köse, Bulut Şenel, Arzu and Onur Topuzlu for their
friendship and support. Cenkmen Yaman deserves special thanks for his friendship and
hospitality.
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I owe a great debt of gratitude to my teachers at Kultur Koleji and Besiktas
Ataturk Anadolu Lisesi. As time goes on, I realize the impact that my former teachers has
had on my academic career.
I will forever be thankful to my former college advisor and mentor, Dr. S. Caglar
Aksezer. He was the one who believed in me, gave me the courage and chance to
become a graduate assistant in 2006.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Professor Mehmet Hilmi
Yucel, and his lovely family. They have ensured that I never felt alone and have
motivated me from thousands of miles away.
Professor A. Raj Chowdhury from Kent State University, College of Applied
Engineering, deserves special recognition and thanks for his fellowship and support to
pursue my higher education in Kent. Without him, I would never be a Kent State
alumna. I also would like to thank his lovely wife, Shammi, and Chowdhury family for
being my family here.
I would love to thank H. Volkan Guclu, for waiting together.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge myself, Dr. Ipek Ozer, for the hard work and
commitment in achieving this goal. It was a road of patience and perseverance.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDMENTS ........................................................................................... vii
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................. xiv
LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................... xv
PART I
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION TO THE PILOT STUDY ........................................................ 1
Problem Statement ................................................................................................ 4
Research Questions and Hypotheses ..................................................................... 4
Identification of the Variables ............................................................................... 5
Significance of the Study ...................................................................................... 6
Organization of the Remaining Document ............................................................. 7
II. LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE PILOT STUDY .............................................. 8
Theoretical Framework ......................................................................................... 8
Academic Performance and Time ................................................................. 9
Social Networking Sites (SNSs) ................................................................. 11
SNS use in the United States and Europe ........................................... 14
Culture and SNS use .......................................................................... 16
SNS Use and Academic Performance ......................................................... 17
Multitasking and SNS Use .......................................................................... 22
Multitasking and culture .................................................................... 23
Research Questions and Hypotheses ................................................................... 25
III. METHODOLOGY OF THE PILOT STUDY ..................................................... 28
Participants ......................................................................................................... 28
Measures ............................................................................................................. 28
Procedures .......................................................................................................... 30
Overview of the Analyses ................................................................................... 30
The Model .................................................................................................. 31
Model Specification ................................................................................... 33
Model Identification ................................................................................... 34
Model Estimation ....................................................................................... 35
Model Testing ............................................................................................ 36
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Description:I owe a great debt of gratitude to my teachers at Kultur Koleji and Besiktas. Ataturk Anadolu Lisesi. As time goes on, I realize the impact that my former
