The use of social media is a large aspect of the life of students. Although it may be entertaining and a means of keeping in touch, it may also carry a significant influence on the mood of students and their learning behavior. Similar to how Dorothy Espelage investigated bullying in schools with the employment of educational psychology, we may also examine the impact of social media on students and their emotions and conduct at school.

It has been demonstrated that excessive use of social media may cause such issues as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. As an illustration, a research by the CHEO Research Institute (2023) revealed that adolescents spending more than three hours a day on social media had an increased likelihood of reporting moderate to severe levels of psychological distress, particularly adolescents.

CHEO Research Institute These issues will cause students to have difficulties concentrating, sleeping, or being motivated at school. Educational psychology provides us with means of learning this further. Among the valuable concepts is the Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura that teaches that human beings learn through observation. Students tend to judge themselves against others on social media and this may damage their self-esteem.

The other valuable theory is the Hierarchy of Needs, developed by Maslow, according to which the students cannot succeed at school until they feel secure and emotionally at ease. When social media is making a person stressed or sad, then it becomes difficult to learn. Finally, there is the self-efficacy which is again by Bandura which implies that students must believe that they can achieve.

In case they are being bullied on the internet or they constantly compare themselves with someone they may lose their confidence. To sum up, social media affects the mood of students and their learning substantially. Educational psychology assists us in knowing the influence of emotional and social problems on learning. To assist students more, parents, teachers, and schools should assist them to establish healthy habits on the Internet and take proper care of their mental health.