The association between manifestations of intrapersonal conflict and the style of media consumption among students

Introduction. Media consumption is a factor for the emergence and resolution of intrapersonal conflicts. Both domestic and foreign researchers recognize the effect of media environment on the individual. The present study investigates the association between students' style of media consumption and intrapersonal conflict. Materials and Methods. The empirical study of intrapersonal conflict and features of media consumption involved the first, second, and third-year students. The study employed the following techniques: (a) Life Meaning Orientation Test (D. A. Leont'ev); (b) Relation Between Values and Accessibility in Various Life Spheres (E. B. Fantalova); (c) Social Frustration Diagnostics (L. I. Wasserman, V. V. Boyko's modification; (d) Quantitative Evaluation of Self-Esteem (P. A. Budassi); (e) Individual Style of Media Consumption and Motivational Structure of Information Activity (Yu. N. Dolgov, etc.). Correlation and factor analysis were used for data processing. Results. The study described intrapersonal conflicts peculiar to students, features of their style of media consumption, and also the association between these variables. Discussion. Students' intrapersonal conflicts occur because of the contradiction between real and ideal self and also the significance and accessibility of values. The students' style of media consumption is critical and purposeful when searching information. The findings revealed significant associations among the following parameters: (a) role conflict and compensatory, relaxational, and reactivating motives of media consumption and also the level of the efficiency of information search; (b) conflict between self-esteem and the level of the reflexive criticism of media consumption; (c) motivation for media consumption, the degree of involvement in the media environment and the conflict of unrealized desires. The results obtained suggest that the style of media consumption is a factor for interpersonal conflicts among students.