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A study on how Facebook affects the Self Esteem, Cognitive, and Socio emotional
Development of Adolescents
Maria Ysabel Alyana L. Conty
De La Salle University
Abstract
This research study focuses on how Facebook, a social networking site affects the self esteem,
cognitive, and socio emotional development of adolescents aged 15 18 years old. This paper
will examine the study conducted by Van Houtte, B.A and Jarvis, P.A (1996) in University of
Illinois on grade school students (grade 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9). The researchers conducted a part of
Van Houtte and Jarvis study, specifically testing autonomy, in the Philippine setting. The
research study included a total of 30 participants from St. Scholasticas college, an exclusive
school for girls. These 30 participants range from 10-12 years old and are grade five students of
the said institution. This paper shows the difference of the autonomy development of children
having pets and not having pets in the Philippines. The study used Silverberg and Steinberg
(1986) autonomy scale to measure the autonomy level of the two groups: pet owners and non
pet owners.
Keywords: social networking sites, Facebook, cognitive development, socio emotional
development, self esteem
adolescent stages (grades five through six). Autonomous characteristics, on the other hand was
said to be built during their early childhood years. Van Houtte, B.A. & Jarvis, P.A., used the
instrument produced by Silverberg and Steinberg (1986), to measure the autonomy of these early
graders. This instrument was called the autonomy scale and was produced in the study
conducted by Silverberg and Steinberg in 1986.
The research produced by Silverberg and Steinberg in 1986 was entitled The
Vicissitudes of Autonomy in Early Adolescence. This research study was conducted in the
University of Wisconsin Madison. Silverberg, S. B., & Steinberg, L., had a sample of 865
students (almost half of the citys population), where they made these children answer a 20- item
test to measure the autonomy of children. These childrens age, ranges from ten to sixteen years
old. This is believed to be the early adolescent stage. The conducted research by Silverberg and
Steinberg was able to prove that the test used was efficient and effective on measuring the
autonomy of pre-adolescent stages. This has helped many researches to be valid, since the tool
was assessed using Cronbachs alpha and computed how valid these results were to measure
autonomy.
Influences of animals in the emotional, cognitive, and physical aspects of human
development are integral. These animals help people become more active and social to help
people efficient, effective and productive. Emotional development of people with disabilities and
deficiencies are positively changed with the help of pets/ animals. These animals influence their
social skills and physical skills on being active agents towards society.
With these results, the researchers wanted to conduct the study in the Philippines in a
simpler way. The researchers focused on Autonomy Development of grade five students, and
only female participants were involved in the study.
Conceptual Framework
Research Questions
The research study would only want to answer a general question. There are no sub sequent
questions; because it is believed that the general question will be the main focus of the
researchers. The general question is:
Is there a significant difference between the autonomy of girls ages 10-12 who are pet-owners
and who are non-pet owners?
Hypothesis
With this research question, the researchers believed on two hypotheses. These
hypotheses are the following:
Ho: There is no significant difference between the autonomy of girls ages 10-12 who are petowners and who are non-pet owners.
Ha: There is a significant difference between the autonomy of girls ages 10-12 who are petowners and who are non-pet owners.
Ho, is the null hypothesis that will accept the insignificant difference of pet-owners and
non-pet owners. Ha, on the other hand will prove that there is a significant difference between
the autonomy developments of the two groups.
In this way, it is believed that one of the hypotheses may be proven wrong. This will
make or break the research study conducted in the Philippines.
Significance of the Study
Autonomy Development is an integral part in building a childs character. This will help
them build their social development which is one of the needed aspects of child development. In
this study, the researchers believe that this will help the public to implement programs in schools
to include school pets to help build childrens autonomy and be able to enhance their social
skills.
Method
Design
The researchers used a post-test design non-equivalent value. It is considered as nonequivalent, since the test sampling was not randomized, since the administration of St.
Scholasticas College, which is the school of the participants, was the one who chose what
sections of the grade five levels will be used for the sampling.
Sampling Design and Participants
In choosing the participants for this study, the researchers decided for all participants to
be female and to be only in a range of 10-12 years old. The researchers chose St. Scholasticas
College-Manila to be part of the research since it is an exclusive school for girls. Also, since the
research was conducted late March, it was too late for the researchers to conduct the study with
the other schools. The researchers found out that St. Scholasticas College-Manilas Elementary
level has a Trimestral schedule and was available.
The school allowed the researchers for 3 sections of their Grade 5 class, which consisted
of 10-12 year old female students, to be part of the study. However, the researchers do not know
the population of the entire 3 sections since the researchers distributed 60 copies of the survey
form only. The researchers planned to gather data from 30 pet-owners, and 30 non-pet owners,
but when the results came out there were 42 pet-owners and 18 non-owners, which is why the
researchers decided to reduce the participants into 30, with 15 pet-owners and 15 non-pet
owners.
In choosing the 30 participants from the 60 students, the researchers separated the petowners from the non-pet owners. The researchers then conducted a random sampling technique,
specifically draw lots, choosing 15 female students from each group.
Instruments
The study contained a 20-item survey which was used from previous studies made by
Silverberg and Steinberg in 1986. This 20-item survey consisted of questions testing and
measuring autonomy development. The battery test was called autonomy scale, where students
are asked to answer these 20-item questionnaire with a 4 point likert scale (Strongly Agree = 4
and Strongly Disagree = 1). This will help the researchers identify whether students are able to
build their autonomy with the help of their pets.
Consisting of 20 items, the students are asked to answer the survey in 10-15 minutes.
With this battery test, they are rated according to how much the students were able to build their
autonomy, with and without pets.
After using the autonomy scale, the researchers used the Mann Whitney U test, which
consisted of finding the U, the mean ranks and the raw data of the study. This will help determine
how significant the differences of both groups are with the results that will be gained from these
studies.
Procedure
The researchers were assigned to 3 sections, namely St. Ehrentrudis, St. Lioba, and St.
Frideswida . All of the sections answered the survey all at the same time with one researcher for
each classroom to guide them. The researchers first gave out the survey, and then explained the
instructions. The instructions included the shading of the circle about them being pet-owners and
non-pet owners, and putting a check on the number which would describe their relationship with
their parents. The participants were given the assurance that their information will be kept
confidential and will only be used for the purpose of the study. The students were given 10-15
minutes to answer the survey to avoid class disruption. After the participants were done
answering the survey, the researchers gave their gratitude and left the classes.
The researchers were able to collect 60 participants (42 pet- owners and 18 non- pet
owners). Rather than using all the participants, the researchers broke it down to 30 participants
(15 pet owners and 15 non pet owners). Each of the participant was tallied among their
answers and tabulated the results for easy computations with the use of the data analysis
provided (Mann Whitney U test).
Data Analysis
This study made use of the Mann Whitney U test to interpret the data gathered from the 4
point Likert Scale survey that the students were asked to answer to measure their Autonomy. In
solving for the U, the researchers first acquired the sum of the answers for each item of each
participant, separating the 15 pet-owners from the 15 non-pet owners. The researchers then made
use of a website (http://faculty.vassar.edu/lowry/utest.html) which automatically solves for the U,
Mean, and P, upon giving the value of N1 and N2 and the sum of the scores of each student from the 2
groups.
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Appendices
Name (Optional):_______________________________________
Section:_______________________________________
Age:________
I.
1. Do you have a pet? (If yes, proceed to question number 2, if no proceed to question number 3.)
o Yes
o No
2. If yes, how many years were you with your pet?
o 1-3 years
o 3-5 years
o 6 years and above
3. If no, did you have a pet in the past? (If yes, proceed to question number 4, if no proceed to the table)
o Yes
o No
4. How many years were you with your pet?
o 1-3 years
o 3-5 years
o 6 years and above
II.
Strongly Agree
4
Agree
3
Disagree
2
Strongly Disagree
1
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