DECODING DIGITAL DEPENDENCE: A DATA MINING-BASED INVESTIGATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA’S INFLUENCE ON BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES IN GENERATION Z ACROSS INDIA

Mrs. Shreya Harshal Bhamare

doi:10.7492/er0m6s30

Authors

Mrs. Shreya Harshal Bhamare Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7492/er0m6s30

Keywords:

Social Media, Generation Z, Mental Health, Data Mining, Clustering, Association Rule Mining, Sentiment Analysis, Social Network Analysis, Behavioral Analytics, Digital Well-being, Stress, Sleep Disruption, FOMO, India

Abstract

The rapid adoption of digital social platforms among young Indians has profoundly reshaped communication behaviors, cognitive habits, and daily lifestyle patterns. Drawing on advanced data mining and computational behavioral methods, including clustering algorithms (K-Means, DBSCAN), association rule mining (Apriori), classification techniques (Random Forest, Naive Bayes), sentiment analysis, and social network analysis (SNA), this investigation explores the psycho-behavioral consequences of social media engagement among Generation Z individuals aged 16 to 26 in India.

A secondary dataset of approximately 500 verified records, capturing daily platform engagement duration, self-reported stress indices, and sleep adequacy measures, was subjected to categorical segmentation, descriptive statistical aggregation, and multivariate trend examination to reveal underlying behavioral regularities.

The results confirm a statistically robust positive relationship between rising social media engagement and intensified psychological distress, along with a notable inverse association with sleep sufficiency. Individuals logging more than five hours of daily platform activity emerge as a clinically distinct high-risk group.

Explanatory mechanisms, including social comparison dynamics, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), attentional fragmentation, and dopamine-reinforced compulsion cycles, are explored as theoretical underpinnings. A behavioral risk inflection point is established at 5 to 6 hours of daily use, beyond which detrimental outcomes amplify in a non-linear manner.

These empirical results carry substantial implications for digital well-being governance, adolescent mental health policy, and platform design accountability. The study advocates for structured digital literacy programs, evidence-grounded screen time frameworks, and regulatory mechanisms to protect the psychological welfare of India's youth population.