Impact of Facebook Usage on Students’ Academic Achievement: Roles of Self-Regulation and Trust

Introduction. This paper provides a preliminary analysis of the effects of Facebook usage by undergraduate students at Luleå University of Technology in Sweden. The proposed research model tests the perceived effect of personality traits, self-regulation, and trust on students’ achievements. On the basis of flow theory, the model suggests negative mediating effects of the use of and cognitive absorption on Facebook; it leads to a decrease in students’ academic performance but a positive effect on satisfaction with life that limits the undesirable effect.Method. Data from paper-and-pencil surveys with 239 undergraduate students from Luleå University of Technology were used to test the model. SmartPLS software was employed to test the proposed structural equation model.Results. The results indicate that extensive use of Facebook by students with extraverted personalities leads to poor academic performance. However, students who are more self-regulated control their presence on these platforms more effectively. Trust in people does not influence their presence and interaction on the platform. Students’ cognitive absorption with Facebook is regulated only by their self-control and personality traits, which determine how much time they spend on Facebook. Multitasking skills moderate the effect of cognitive absorption on academic achievement, but they do not impede the time spent, frequency, or nature of use or their effect on academic results. Although students’ satisfaction with life significantly declines due to cognitive immersion with Facebook, it does not play a role for students’ academic achievement. However, their performance goal orientation is a crucial determinant of university accomplishments, which would limit the critical effect of their presence on the Facebook platform.Discussion and Conclusion. The results partly support prior conclusions about the personality traits that determine presence on Facebook. Trust does not impede Facebook usage but determines use of the Internet. Self-regulation and performance goal orientations characterize students who are more in control of their social activity, which in turn limits the apparent negative effect on their academic performance. These results should help students understand the consequences of their extensive usage of Facebook and better manage their social activities on this platform.