Abstract

This study investigated the behavioral dynamics of social media usage, exploring daily consumption patterns, gender-based platform preferences, and the predictive influence of digital engagement alongside demographic characteristics. Utilizing a sample of 260 participants, descriptive metrics revealed a highly mobile-reliant yet structured user base: 76.15% accessed platforms via personal smartphones, 75.00% abstained from usage during working hours, and 78.07% limited daily screen time to under two hours. Bivariate Chi-square tests of independence demonstrated highly significant gender divisions for specific platforms; males were significantly more likely to utilize YouTube, χ²(1) = 16.62, p < .001, and LinkedIn, χ²(1) = 16.67, p < .001, whereas Instagram and Facebook adoption showed no significant variation by gender (p > .05). These findings suggest that active behavioral engagement within high-investment visual and professional networks overrides static demographic profiles when predicting outcomes. Organizations and practitioners should focus design and policy interventions directly on specific digital behaviors rather than broad demographic segments.