The “double-edged sword” effect of social media usage on postgraduate student creativity

AbstractBased on the social media use theory and goal orientation theory, this study explored the “double-edged sword” effect of social media usage on postgraduate student creativity. Participants in the study were 262 postgraduate students from Xiangtan University in China (females = 54.2%, postgraduate third grade = 29.4%, major in management = 22.1%). The participants completed two waves of surveys one week apart. Findings from a structural equation model indicated that social media usage indirectly enhanced postgraduate student creativity through knowledge acquisition, and lowered cyberloafing. Social media usage and knowledge acquisition were higher with higher learning goal orientation, and lower with cyberloafing. These findings provided valuable guidance for supporting postgraduate students in their rational use of social media for improved learning outcomes.Keywords: social media usagelearning goal orientationknowledge acquisitioncyberloafingpostgraduate student creativity Data availability statementThe raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.Conflict of interestThe authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.Additional informationFundingThis research was funded by the Education Science Planning Project in Hunan Province, China (Grant No. XJK23AJC003), and the Research Project on Degree and Graduate Teaching Reform in Hunan Province, China (Grant No. 2021JGZD022).