The impact of digital technologies on the lifestyle of modern youth

Abstract

The subject of the research is the influence of digital technologies on the lifestyle of modern youth. The article examines the digitization of everyday life and its connection to changes in various spheres of young people's activities. The author analyzes theoretical approaches to understanding digital technologies, youth, and lifestyle, as well as identifies the main components of lifestyle that are most susceptible to transformation under the influence of the digital environment. Special attention is given to changes in interpersonal communication, leisure organization, education and professional activity, psychological state, and daily life routines. The relevance of the study is determined by the widespread adoption of digital technologies and their integration into the daily social practices of youth. The paper also discusses the ambiguous nature of digital influence, which combines new opportunities with potential limitations for organizing everyday life. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in the study: surveys and focus groups. A total of 221 residents of Barnaul aged 18 to 30 participated in the survey. Additionally, two focus groups were conducted with a total duration of 145 minutes, with six participants each. The main findings of the research reveal differences in the perception of the impact of digital technologies on specific components of youth lifestyle. 90% of respondents noted significant changes in their own lifestyle to some extent. Participants most frequently noted changes in friendships, pace of life, leisure, culture, and education. Digital technologies are widely used to maintain social contacts; however, their spread is accompanied by a change in the balance between online and offline communication. In professional and educational activities, 80% of respondents noted the influence of digital technologies, with 57% assessing it negatively. The psychological impact is also perceived ambiguously: 40% rated it positively, 35% neutrally, and 25% negatively. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive examination of how youth perceive changes in several interrelated components of lifestyle, based on the combination of quantitative and qualitative data. The materials from the focus groups complement the survey results and demonstrate that the same digital changes can be perceived by young people as convenient and beneficial or as creating additional limitations.