Flip the Script: Social Media and Communication Competence

The rising use of social media in today’s youth raises interesting questions on how the preference and even reliance of a mediated communication channel can affect face-to-face interactions. Digital citizens may develop a different set of communication skills due to the use of social media. Previous research has found a difference in social media usage between genders. Social media seem to also work in conjunction with face-to-face interactions as tools to help build relationships. These platforms seem to supplement the communication that cannot be attained because of specific circumstances, like social distance. Face-to-face interactions are found to be preferred for intimate conversations, whereas social media platforms are preferred for undesired conversations (which were found to be able to ease anxiety and inhibition due to its asynchronous nature). However, there is little research as to what effect these social media platforms have on individuals’ interactions and communication in different social situations (i.e. with friends, with professors, etc.). This research paper focuses on the relationship between social media usage and perceived communication competence. This study intends to utilize a quantitative method to examine how social media usage affects how people interact with others in person and in face-to-face interactions. This research paper also aims to explore how the social media that defines this generation has changed the way people communicate with each other in daily life. This study anticipates either a positive or negative correlation between social media usage and perceived communication competence. This study is expected to see if the data can find a correlation between specific social media and their influence on communication competence