Social Media Use at a U.S. Military Academy: Perceived Implications for Performance and Behavior

Abstract

A growing body of research highlights the impacts of social media use for civilians. However, few studies have examined the possible implications of social media use for military personnel. In order to fill this gap, we surveyed cadets and faculty at a United States service academy. Most cadets and faculty members agreed that cadets spend more time than is ideal on social media, and most faculty surveyed had observed cadets using social (and other) media during lectures. Both cadets and faculty agreed that social media use impedes academic performance. However, social media use also had positive implications, as cadets listed connecting with friends and family as motives for using these media. Separately, cadets ranked the social media app Jodel among their top five most popular – in contrast to civilians. Jodel affords anonymity and, as such, potentially enables cadets to post controversial messages without fear of identification and accountability. Possible implications of these findings for the academy and the armed forces are discussed.