A research on new media use habits of X-Y-Z generations during pandemics

During the Covid-19 pandemic, which fundamentally shook the lives of many people around the world, some social isolation decisions taken as a precaution have caused changes in individuals' traditional media, social media, new media and internet usage habits and behaviors. In this context, a research was conducted on the new media usage habits of generations X-Y-Z during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the research, has the pandemic period directly affected many age groups in terms of internet, social media and new media usage, along with various habits? Have there been differences in media usage habits? If there is a change-differentiation, to what extent has it varied? Are technology usage habits predictable depending on age? The questions were attempted to be answered. In the study, statistical data analyses were examined with the help of SPSS, using the survey technique, which is one of the quantitative research methods, in order to explain the changes in new media usage habits during the Covid-19 pandemic period with numerical data on generations X-Y-Z. In the study, using the relational research model, which is a quantitative data collection model, data was collected from 384 people between the ages of 11-58, and the data were; frequency analysis, validity and reliability analysis, factor analysis, correlation analysis, anova analysis, independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U difference test were performed. According to the results of the tests and analyses conducted, the Covid-19 pandemic directly impacted various habits during the internet, social media, and new media use period, including education for ages 11-22, work and professional life for ages 23-44, and entertainment and pastime for ages 45-58. As a result, it was found that new and social media use increased during the pandemic, and differences in media usage habits were experienced. Therefore, the use of new media technologies should be reduced, individuals should be made more aware of social media use, and face-to-face communication practices should be increased and supported. Keywords: Covıd-19- Generations-Pandemic- Social media- New media