THE ROLE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS IN PROMOTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR DURING COVID-19 CRISIS AMONGST A SAMPLE OF USERS IN SAUDI SOCIETY: TWITTER AS A MODEL

Abstract

This study seeks analysing Twitter social network role in promoting positive behaviour during COVID-19 crisis and exploring the relationship between them. It targets identifying Twitter positive behaviour level differences through variables of gender, age, marital status, residence status, administrative region, and Twitter using size. An online questionnaire was used on a validity-and-stability verified sample of (586) individual Twitter users in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Sample members approved Twitter users’ positive behaviour during COVID-19 crisis. They agreed that the positive behaviour level was medium with a Twitter effect of (19.4%). There were both a positive, medium-strong correlation between Twitter daily use and a statistically significant correlation between one - session Twitter using and positive behaviour promotion. However, there were statistically significant differences in positive behaviour promotion when using Twitter between social status favouring singles, residence status favouring residents, age favouring those under 21, administrative region favouring the southern region, usage period favouring network daily and two days - users, and browsing time favouring much Twitter users .The study recommends conducting studies on positive social behaviour and its dimensions to broadly generalise results. Studies on the Internet of behaviour and artificial intelligence are needed to analyse the positive behaviour expected by social networks users to enhance opportunities. It also stressed children and adolescents’ digital social education to prepare community members for effective online participation, the activation of public and private services-providing agencies Twitter accounts, interacting positively with users' questions and responses, and substituting fixed stereotypes by interesting interactive patterns.