Psychological correlates of digital socialization of university students: locus of control and coping strategies

Abstract

This article examines digital socialization, a key process in personal development in today's digital society and digital educational environment. The phenomenon of digital socialization of university students has become particularly relevant within the context of cultural-historical and socio-cognitive paradigms. This study identifies the characteristics of digital socialization among university students and its relationship with locus of control indicators and coping strategies. The aim of the study was to determine the nature of the correlation between the level of digital socialization, internality/externality, and the types of coping strategies chosen by students in pedagogical universities. A total of 178 first- and second-year students participated in the study. The study utilized survey methods (A.S. Irgaliyev's questionnaire), psychodiagnostic methods (J. Rotter and D. Amirkhan's test methods), and statistical data processing methods (Cronbach's alpha coefficient, descriptive statistics, Student's t-test, etc.) using the SPSS package. The results demonstrate that digital socialization is a significant resource for proactive behavior. A high level of integration into the digital environment was found to positively correlate with the active "Problem Solving" strategy (r = 0.372) and internal locus of control. Digital socialization is not compensatory in nature and is not associated with problem avoidance mechanisms, serving as a tool for expanding the adaptive potential of the individual through the cognitive transformation of the situation. The practical significance of the study lies in the potential application of the results in the design of digital educational environments and psychological support programs for university students.

Keywords: digital socialization; digital environment; digital identity; locus of control; coping strategies; university students.