Factors Related to the Use of Social Media in the Affray Incidents of Students with Interinstitutional Conflict

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) study the general behavior and level of social media use in incidents of conflicts among vocational students from rival institutions, and 2) examine and compare the factors related to the use of social media during such violent incidents. The Cluster Sampling Random method from vocational students who had conflicts between institutions in Bangkok, 2 conflicting institutions, 200 people per institution, totaling 400 people. The findings revealed that: 1) Students with higher cumulative GPAs used social media less frequently during violent incidents compared to those with lower GPAs. 2) Students living with their families were less likely to use social media in violent situations than those living with relatives, friends, or alone. 3) Students who used social media 4–5 times per week and for three hours or more per session were more likely to use it during conflicts than those who used it less frequently, and 4) Students who used social media to share locations, issue warnings, or cอoordinate escapes during violent incidents were more likely to use it in such contexts than those who used it merely to exchange general institutional information.

The results indicate that personal factors and patterns of social media use are associated with students’ involvement in inter-institutional conflicts. To reduce such conflicts, it is recommended to promote constructive and ethical use of social media, emphasize family communication, and support media literacy education that encourages responsible and ethical media engagement among vocational students.