Unraveling Virtual Threads: The Impact of Social Media Engagement on Family Dynamics and Real-Life Relationships

Abstract

Virtual communication through social networking sites: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Gaming Sites, and YouTube is the key characteristic of contemporary lifestyles, relationships, and interactions of young adults with friends and family (Bhowmick & Madhu,2020). Its spread has raised concerns in Pakistan, a multi-lingual and multi-ethnic Muslim country, with conventional, family-orientated social frameworks based mostly on joint and extended systems. Online over-engagement though is increasing awareness, it is reducing real communication between parents and their (young) adults in urban Pakistan that the society considers essential for propagation of family norms, traditions, and values (Woodward, 2020). It has compromised real family time and inter-family social networking by involving individuals in the virtual world. They are physically present with their families but they are mentally engaged with their mobile phones (Kanwal, Pitafi, Akhtar, and Irfan, 2019). This research explores the multifaceted impact of virtual engagement with social networking sites on patterns of open communication within families. The study aims to investigate the influence of virtual engagement on real-life priorities and connections, proposing hypotheses that posit significant correlations between online identity maintenance and decreases in family social interaction and bonding. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the research employs a survey method with standardized questions to collect data from 800 participants. The data is analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26, revealing key demographic information and social media usage patterns. Linear regression analyses support the hypotheses, demonstrating a significant relationship between time spent on social media and reduced family interaction and bonding, as well as its impact on family relations and priorities. The findings suggest that excessive engagement in sustaining online identities negatively influences real-life relationships, emphasizing the need to address the growing trend of social media dependency in familial contexts. The findings serve as a guide for the strategists who may plan to sustain social values and good relations between parents and their (young) adults in what they are perceiving as digital Pakistan of the future.