Hyperconnectivity and digital resignation among higher education students

Over the past decades, ICTs have permeated every facet of society, with a particularly pronounced impact on higher education students. This study delves into the Internet-mediated interpersonal relationships of students at the University Complutense of Madrid (UCM), the representation of habits and the use of ICTs. By means of an online survey, data were collected from a total sample of 2,893 participants spanning various disciplines, ages, and academic programs. The findings reveal gender and age-based disparities in preferences for digitally mediated relationships, as well as dysfunctional patterns associated with digital usage that manifest differently across age groups. Students predominantly express a penchant for being consistently connected to the internet or doing so only, when necessary, with a minority indicating a lack of enjoyment in digital connectivity. This study has allowed the identification of a digital landscape characterized by hyperconnectivity and digital resignation, the latter emerging as a noteworthy trend in the daily lives of university students as it may be linked to dysfunctions arising from ICT use.