Active Facebook users do worse in school?

Active Facebook users do worse in school?
According to a study of Ohio State University students, students who actively use social networking site Facebook reported GPAs of between 3.0 and 3.5 while those who did not averaged 3.5-4.0.

Although the study was only of 219 students and cannot be considered definitive, it has suggested the clear link between the site and overall academic performance.



Also noted in the study was the fact that Facebook users studied only one to five hours a week while non-users studied 11 or more.

Ohio State doctoral student Aryn Karpinski, who conducted the research with another graduate student, did add however that the study was too narrow to make any "set in stone" conclusions.

"It cannot be stated (that) Facebook use causes a student to study less or get lower grades,"
says Aryn. "I'm just saying that they're related somehow, and we need to look into it further." 68 percent of those studied said they use Facebook and 65 percent of those said they access the site daily or even multiple times daily.

Some students did say the site helps them form study groups with other students and overall 79 percent said the site did not hinder their academic performance.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 13 Apr 2009 23:54
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  • 14 comments
  • MXGzX

    The ones that use it have more active social lives and aren't spending 90% of their time on school.

    14.4.2009 00:26 #1

  • Pop_Smith

    Personally I hate Facebook, MySpace and all the other "social networking" sites.

    However, the one thing I have to say about this "study" is that it should take into account other hobbies that could potentially affect GPA such as too much movie watching or something.

    One more thing, on the GPA comment, a 3.0-3.5 @ Ohio State is nothing to sneeze at. Sure, it's not a 4.0 but I haven't seen any employer turn down a potential employee simply because they had a 3.2.

    Sure, they may employ someone who graduated with 4.0 and Honors (aka Cum Laude) over a 3.0 student but the odds if it coming down to that are extremely rare.

    Peace

    14.4.2009 00:44 #2

  • amf0802

    I find it hard to believe that Facebook is the direct cause of this correlation. My guess is that people that use Facebook more are generally people who spend more time browsing various websites, namely FB/Myspace/Twitter, and are more interested in their social standing than their academic standing.

    As an 'active' Facebook user I also find this hard to believe. I've used Facebook since it's inception, when it was only for university students, and my school was one of the first to gain access. I'm maintained a 4.0 GPA where I've been, including my masters degree I'm completing now. I realize I may be an exception, but in my master's program nearly everyone uses Facebook, and most access it 5+ times a day. Due to the nature of our degree, we are all required to maintain very high academic standards and I highly doubt anyone would agree that if they dropped Facebook it would noticeably increase performance.

    14.4.2009 00:47 #3

  • Lothros

    Hey Guys! People who use Facebook rather than study do bad in School! lets all ban Facebook!
    Hey Guys! People who play football rather than study do bad in School! lets all ban Football!
    Hey Guys! People who hang out with friends rather than study do bad in School! lets all ban friends!
    Hey Guys! People who watch TV rather than study do bad in School! lets all ban TV!

    See? It's easy to kick up a storm about pretty much anything.

    14.4.2009 01:56 #4

  • bangor09

    I never went to the university and I could have deducted the simple equation "More time on a pc (facebook or whatnot)than actually studying equals lower grades" same could been applied(but not exclusively)to: Dating, Excessive Partying, sport-mania, video games, tv, movies, music concerts, you know the thing that makes life on these times actually LIVEABLE?? (IDK if that's a word, but WTVR),

    Now where's my Nobel Prize???

    Peace Out.

    14.4.2009 02:33 #5

  • vanessa80

    it is good for students.because it can improve their social obilities.
    That is very useful. Except as you can see i'm a spammer so i'm too stupid even for Facebook

    14.4.2009 02:59 #6

  • enjoygame

    SPAM removed, gave my brain away in a referral scam. Silly me.

    14.4.2009 03:28 #7

  • KillerBug

    Maybe it is just that people who post their pictures online are a bit slow...

    14.4.2009 04:36 #8

  • ak472009

    i agree, facebook is addictive enough to not study

    14.4.2009 07:21 #9

  • BobL

    Facebook is a time suck.

    14.4.2009 08:50 #10

  • emugamer

    These twits are definitely in the running for the SSA of 2009 (Stupid Study Award).

    Doctoral student Aryn Karpinski is an idiot. He/she probably couldn't think of anything, so came up with this horse crap. Glad he wasn't around in my college time. Otherwise we would have been looking to ban pubs, girls and video games.

    14.4.2009 12:04 #11

  • Morreale

    I don't have facebook, and I have like an 85 average (well maybe not because I blanked out on a math unit test and got like 13% >:[).

    My friends all waste their lives on facebook or xbox and they are all stupid lol

    14.4.2009 16:14 #12

  • ThePastor

    Gee, I figured it was just because the act of using Facebook reduces your I.Q. by one point each time you log in! ;)

    14.4.2009 16:29 #13

  • korgoth3

    this proves that if you use facebook you are a retard. i could have told you this a years ago. im guessing myspace will have people even more stupid than facebook.

    14.4.2009 19:47 #14

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