Student Communication Experience Facing Digital Fatigue in the Era of Hyper-Connectivity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56480/gt88mn80Keywords:
Digital Fatigue, Hyper-Connectivity, Communication Strategies, University Students, Phenomenology, Reception TheoryAbstract
This study aims to understand how university students perceive the experience of digital fatigue and the communication strategies they employ to manage it within an era of hyper-connectivity. While digital platforms offer academic efficiency, they simultaneously create psychological pressure through information overload and demands for constant responsiveness. This research utilizes a qualitative approach with a phenomenological method. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with students from various academic backgrounds. The analysis applies Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory to examine how students interpret and negotiate digital messages and pressures. The findings reveal that students experience digital fatigue characterized by mental exhaustion, emotional burnout, and decreased academic motivation. However, students are not passive recipients; they actively implement diverse communication strategies, including digital detoxes, screen time limits, notification management, physical activity, and open interpersonal communication. This study demonstrates that students act as active agents capable of negotiating meaning and building resistance against hyper-connectivity demands. It contributes to digital communication studies by highlighting the role of individual interpretation and adaptive strategies in overcoming digital fatigue.
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