Proceedings of the International Conference on Cross- Disciplinary Academic Research 2025 - Track 2 Advances in Business & Economics, Social Science, Communications & Media (ICAR-T2 2025)

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The Impact of New Media on Interpersonal Communication: The Role of Social Media Platform and Visual Content in University Students’ Engagement

Authors
Aida Suhana Abdul Hamid1, *, Wan Nor Hidayah Wan Afandi1, Azfa Izzah Roslan1
1Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
*Corresponding author. Email: aida_suhana@uptm.edu.my
Corresponding Author
Aida Suhana Abdul Hamid
Available Online 20 June 2026.
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6239-715-6_32How to use a DOI?
Keywords
New media; social media; interpersonal communication; Complexity Theory; higher education
Abstract

This study explores the influence of new media, particularly social media, on interpersonal communication among university students. The rapid growth of digital platforms has redefined how individuals form connection, exchange information, and construct meaning. By drawing upon Complexity Theory which explains how interconnected elements in a system interact in dynamic, non-linear ways leading to unpredictable and emergent outcomes, this research uses the theory to understand how small changes is user behavior can create large scale effects in digital communication, and relevant empirical studies, this research explores how interactivity and media addiction affect communication patterns, user behavior, and psychological well-being. A quantitative survey was conducted with 383 students from Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM). The findings suggest significant correlations between new media interactivity and increased social engagement, as well as between media addiction and deteriorating mental health. It is recommended that media literacy and ethical design being implemented as interventions for fostering healthy digital interactions.

Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the International Conference on Cross- Disciplinary Academic Research 2025 - Track 2 Advances in Business & Economics, Social Science, Communications & Media (ICAR-T2 2025)
Series
Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research
Publication Date
20 June 2026
ISBN
978-94-6239-715-6
ISSN
2352-5428
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6239-715-6_32How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - CONF
AU  - Aida Suhana Abdul Hamid
AU  - Wan Nor Hidayah Wan Afandi
AU  - Azfa Izzah Roslan
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/20
TI  - The Impact of New Media on Interpersonal Communication: The Role of Social Media Platform and Visual Content in University Students’ Engagement
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Cross- Disciplinary Academic Research 2025 - Track 2 Advances in Business & Economics, Social Science, Communications & Media (ICAR-T2 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 428
EP  - 440
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-715-6_32
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-715-6_32
ID  - Hamid2026
ER  -