ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
Our daily lives have become increasingly reliant on technology and online activities. From communication and work to learning and entertainment, technology has made these activities more efficient. However, it is important to be aware of potential threats while browsing the internet and being involving in online activity and take necessary precautions to ensure safety during online activity. This paper aims to identify the relationship between age and time spent in online activity among university students. The respondents of this research were students from public university in Terengganu who were actively involved in online activities ranging from 18 to 24 years old. The questionnaires on digital identity, digital safety, and online behaviour were adopted from previous research, and links to Google Forms were given to students using the WhatsApp application. There were 184 questionnaires used for the analysis. Data were analysed using SPSS version 27. This research seeks to answer the objectives on the association between age and time spent online and frequency of engagement online. The research analysed individuals aged 18 to 30 years and above who were actively involved in online activities. The study found that the largest group of respondents was 18 to 20 years. Chi-square tests were conducted to examine the correlation between age and frequency of online engagement. Results showed that there was no significant relationship between age and the time spent online or the frequency of online engagement. Therefore, it cannot be generalised that age group plays a significant role in determining the respondents' online activity.
Adgate, B. (2021, May 5). Deloitte Report: Digital media activities vary by generation age group. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2021/05/05/deloitte-report-digital-media-activities-vary-by-generation-age-group/
Asrese, K., & Muche, H. (2020). Online activities as risk factors for Problematic internet use among students in Bahir Dar University, Northwest Ethiopia: A hierarchical regression model. PLoS ONE, 15. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238804.
Duffett, R. G. (2015). Facebook advertising’s influence on intention-to-purchase and purchase amongst Millennials. Internet Research, 25(4), 498–526. https://doi.org/10.1108/IntR-01-2014-0020
Dworkin, J., Connell, J., & Doty, J. (2013, July 1). A literature review of parents’ online behavior. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.5817/cp2013-2-2
Elhai, J. D., Dvorak, R. D., Levine, J. C., & Hall, B. J. (2019). Analysis of problematic smartphone use across different age groups within the ‘Components Model of Addiction’. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 19(3), 616-631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00095-0
Gasser, U., Maclay, C. M., & Palfrey, J. G. (2010). Working towards a deeper understanding of digital safety for children and young people in developing nations. Berkman Center Research Publication, (2010-7), 10-36.
Goldstein, S. E., Davis-Kean, P. E., & Eccles, J. S. (2005). Parents, peers, and problem behavior: A longitudinal investigation of the impact of relationship perceptions and characteristics on the development of adolescent problem behavior. Developmental Psychology, 41, 401-413.
Gómez-Puerta, M., & Chiner, E. (2019). Teachers’ perceptions on online behaviour of students with intellectual disability, risk mediation and training. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 35(4), 437–450. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2019.1703602
Hinds, J., Brown, O., E. Smith, L. G., Piwek, L., Ellis, D. A., & Joinson, A. N. (2021). Integrating insights about human movement patterns from digital data into psychological science. Current Directions in Psychological Science.
https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214211042324
Ho Kyoung Shin, & Kyung Kyu Kim. (2009). Examining identity and organizational citizenship behaviour in computer-mediated communication. Journal of Information Science, 36(1), 114–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551509353376
Horgan, A., & Sweeney, J. (2012). University students’ online habits and their use of the internet for health information. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 30, 402–408. https://doi.org/10.1097/NXN.0b013e3182510703.
Hu, C., Zhao, L., & Huang, J. (2015). Achieving self-congruency? Examining why individuals reconstruct their virtual identity in communities of interest established within social network platforms. Computers in Human Behavior, 50, 465–475. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.04.027
Huang, E. (2012). Online experiences and virtual goods purchase intention. Internet Research, 22(3), 252–274. https://doi.org/10.1108/10662241211235644
Korkofingas, C., & Macri, J. (2013). Does Time Spent Online have an Influence on Student Performance? Evidence for a Large Business Studies Class. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.53761/1.10.2.2
Lenhart, A. & Madden, M. (2019, December 31). Part 6: Information-seeking and leisure activities. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2005/07/27/part-6-information-seeking-and-leisure-activities/
Martin, F., Gezer, T., Anderson, J., Polly, D., & Wang, W. (2021). Examining parents perception on elementary school children digital safety. Educational Media International, 58(1), 60–77. doi:10.1080/09523987.2021.1908500
Matthew, Sadiku., Shadare., Adebowale and Musa, Sarhan., (2016). Digital identity. International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology. 3.
Meier, A., & Reinecke, L. (2020). Computer-mediated communication, social media, and mental health: A Conceptual and Empirical Meta-Review. Communication Research, 009365022095822. doi:10.1177/0093650220958224
Molly, Wasko., Samer, Faraj. (2005). Why should I share? examining social capital and knowledge contribution in electronic networks of practice. Management Information Systems Quarterly, 29(1):35-57. doi: 10.5555/2017245.2017249
Na-Nan, K., Roopleam, T. and Wongsuwan, N. (2020). Validation of a digital intelligence quotient questionnaire for employee of small and medium-sized Thai enterprises using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Kybernetes, Vol. 49 No. 5, pp. 1465-1483. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-01-2019-0053
Orehova?ki, T., Konecki, M., and Bubas, G. (2008). Security and privacy related online behavior of experienced ICT users. Conference: 27th International Conference on Organizational Science Development, Portorož, Slovenia, March 19-21, 2008.
Ozan, O., & Ozarslan, Y. (2016). Video lecture watching behaviors of learners in online courses. Educational Media International, 53, 27 - 41. doi:10.1080/09523987.2016.1189255
Peng, H., Tsai, C., & Wu, Y. (2006). University students' self?efficacy and their attitudes toward the Internet: the role of students' perceptions of the Internet. Educational Studies, 32, 73 - 86. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055690500416025.
Rosário, R., Martins, M. R. O., Augusto, C., Silva, M. J., Martins, S., Duarte, A., Fronteira, I., Ramos, N., Okan, O., & Dadaczynski, K. (2020). Associations between COVID-19-related digital health literacy and online information-seeking behavior among portuguese university students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(23), 8987. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238987
Salleh, Suzila Mat & Hussin, Siti & Mohammed, Noor Hafiza & Hamzah, Siti & Mohamad Yusof, Hani & Ali, Noor. (2020). Social-media addiction among students at public university. Jurnal Intelek. 15. 48-53. 10.24191/ji. v15i1.266.
Senthilkumar K. and Easwaramoorthy s. (2017): A survey on cyber security awareness
among college students in Tamil Nadu, IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engi-
neering, Volume 263, Computation and Information Technology.
Simonds, T., & Brock, B. (2014). Relationship Between Age, Experience, and Student Preference for Types of Learning Activities in Online Courses. The Journal of Educators Online, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.9743/jeo.2014.1.3
Sreejesh, S., Paul, J., Strong, C., & Pius, J. (2020). Consumer response towards social media advertising: Effect of media interactivity, its conditions and the underlying mechanism. International Journal of Information Management, 54, 102155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102155.
Starcevic, V., Eslick, G. D., Viswasam, K., Billieux, J., Gainsbury, S. M., King, D. L., & Berle, D. (2023, September). Problematic online behaviors and psychopathology in Australia. Psychiatry Research, 327, 115405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115405.
Taylor, D. G., Lewin, J. E., & Strutton, D. (2011). Do ads work on social networks? Journal of Advertising Research, 51(1), 258–275. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-51-1-258-275.
Ybarra, M. L., Mitchell, K. J., Finkelhor, D., & Wolak, J. (2007). Internet prevention messages. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 161(2), 138. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.161.2.138d.
Yilmaz, H., & Enginkaya, E. (2015). Brand followers: Motivations and attitudes of consumers to follow brands in social media. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 9(1), 3–20. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJIMA.2015.068356.
Zafar, S., Safdar, S., & Malik, B. (2014). Online behaviour of students in a new blended learning course: An experience report. 2014 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment and Learning for Engineering (TALE). doi:10.1109/tale.2014.7062569.
(Salleh et al., 2023)
Salleh, S. M., Hamzah, S. F. M., Ali, N. M., Yusof, H. S. M., Mohammed, N. H., Nor, R. M., Rashid, R. S., & Noor, H. M. (2023). The Association Between Age And Time Spent On Online Activity Among University Students. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(12), 1480–1488.
Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode