ENHANCING MORALITY, ETHICS, AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA SELECTION OF YOUTHS IN CHAIYAPHUM PROVINCE

Abstract

The research entitled “Enhancing morality, ethics, and emotional intelligence in online social media selection of youths in Chaiyaphum Province. The research objectives were to study online social media use behavior of youths in Chaiyaphum Province; to study the factors influencing the social media selection of youths in Chaiyaphum Province and to suggest the guidelines for enhancing morality, ethics and emotional intelligence of youths in online social media selection in Chaiyaphum Province. Mixed method research approaches of quantitative and qualitative research were employed. In terms of the qualitative research, the samples were 5 community leaders, 5 parents, 30 youths and 2 monks. The data were collected from interviews and group discussions from the samples selected by purposive sampling method. For the quantitative research, the samples where 400 youths studying at the upper secondary school level under the Secondary Education Service Area Office 30. Purposive sampling method was employed. The research tool was the questionnaire. The research results can be summarized as follows. 1) Based on the online social media use behavior of youths in Chaiyaphum Province, it was found that the frequency of access to online social networks of youths was more than 1 time per day and they spent 1-2 hours each time, most of which were at home. The most common period the samples spent using social networks was 04.01 p.m. - 08.00 p.m. Most devices used to access social networks were mobile phones / smartphones. Facebook was most commonly used. The overall expectation of using online social networks was at a high level. The overall perception, learning and acceptance of online social networks were also at a high level. The overall attitude towards the use of online social networks was at a high level.2) The factors affecting the emotional intelligence of the youths in choosing to use online social media was at a high level. The factor that was the most important to emotional intelligence was tolerance. 3) The guidelines for enhancing morality, ethics, emotional intelligence of youths people in choosing online social media in Chaiyaphum Province consist of the following approaches: (1) paying attention to youths at a family level, (2) paying attention to youths at school or educational institution level, (3) paying attention to youths at a government agency level (policies) by using 3 learning techniques, including  (1) familiarizing with students, (2) researching and (3) collaborating between homes and schools.