Too Much Communication?”: Investigating Communication Fatigue and Digital Overload Among University Students

Year 2026, Volume: 15 Issue: 1 , 504 - 524 , 31.03.2026

Ayça Bakıner

https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.1756313

https://izlik.org/JA96MT53AE

Abstract

In an era defined by constant digital connectivity, university students are increasingly expected to remain available and responsive across various communication platforms, both academically and socially. This continuous exposure to messaging, notifications, and online interactions creates an environment of communication overload and emotional fatigue. This study explores how students experience, interpret, and manage communication fatigue and digital overload in their daily lives. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 17 preparatory-year students enrolled at a public university in Türkiye, the research uses thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and insights. Three major findings emerged: (1) students experience emotional exhaustion and cognitive overload due to incessant messaging, platform-switching, and blurred academic-personal boundaries; (2) they adopt communicative strategies, such as muting notifications, delaying responses, or withdrawing temporarily as forms of emotional regulation and self-protection; (3) silence is not merely absence or disinterest but is perceived by students as a strategic and meaningful communicative act. However, their silence is often misunderstood by others as apathy or social rejection, leading to relational tension. These findings challenge conventional interpretations of silence and disengagement in digital contexts, reframing them as expressions of communicative agency, boundary-setting, and emotional resilience. By centring students' experiences, the study contributes to communication theory in three key areas: (a) expanding definitions of engagement to include digital silence and inaction; (b) emphasizing emotional labour in maintaining online social presence; and (c) illustrating how identity performance is managed under constant digital visibility. The study highlights the need for institutions and educators to cultivate more empathetic communication environments that respect students’ emotional boundaries and allow for intentional disconnection as part of healthy digital engagement

Keywords

: Communication Fatigue , Digital Overload , Strategic Silence , Social Presence , Digital Well-Being , Emotional Labour

Üniversite Öğrencileri Arasında İletişim Yorgunluğu, Dijital Sessizlik ve Aşırı Yüklenmenin İletişimsel Yansımaları

https://izlik.org/JA96MT53AE

Abstract

Sürekli çevrim içi olma hali, üniversite öğrencilerini çoklu dijital platformlarda her an erişilebilir ve yanıt vermeye hazır olmaya zorlayan bir iletişim ortamı yaratmaktadır. Bu durum, özellikle akademik ve sosyal yaşamın iç içe geçtiği üniversite ortamlarında öğrencilerde ciddi bir iletişim yorgunluğu ve dijital aşırı yüklenme duygusu yaratmaktadır. Bu çalışma, üniversite öğrencilerinin bu dijital yüklenmeyi nasıl deneyimlediklerini, anlamlandırdıklarını ve yönettiklerini incelemektedir. Türkiye'deki bir devlet üniversitesinin hazırlık programına kayıtlı 17 öğrenciyle yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yoluyla elde edilen nitel veriler, tematik analizle değerlendirilmiştir. Analiz sonucunda üç temel bulgu ortaya çıkmıştır: (1) öğrenciler, sürekli mesajlaşma, platformlar arası geçiş ve akademik-özel yaşam sınırlarının belirsizleşmesi nedeniyle duygusal ve zihinsel olarak kendilerini tükenmiş hissetmektedir; (2) bu yüklenmeyle başa çıkmak amacıyla sessiz kalma, yanıtları geciktirme, bildirimleri sessize alma gibi stratejik iletişim davranışları geliştirmektedirler; (3) öğrenciler için sessizlik, ilgisizlikten ziyade sınır çizme, öz bakım ve iletişimsel özne olma anlamı taşıyan bilinçli bir tercihtir. Ancak bu sessizlik sıklıkla çevreleri tarafından yanlış anlaşılmakta ve ilişkisel gerilimlere neden olmaktadır. Çalışma, dijital ortamda verilen gecikmeli tepkiler, sessizlik ve geri çekilme gibi davranışların iletişimsizlik değil, aksine duygusal dengeyi koruma ve ilişkisel beklentilerle baş etme adına geliştirilen bilinçli iletişim stratejileri olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Bu bağlamda çalışma, kurumların ve eğitimcilerin öğrencilerin duygusal sınırlarına saygı gösteren, aynı zamanda sağlıklı dijital katılımın bir parçası olarak bilinçli biçimde bağlantıyı kesmeye de alan tanıyan daha empatik iletişim ortamları geliştirmeleri gerektiğine dikkat çekmektedir. Araştırma, iletişim kuramına dijital yorgunluk, stratejik sessizlik ve kimlik performansı gibi güncel kavramlar üzerinden kuramsal katkılar sunmaktadır.

Keywords

İletişim Yorgunluğu , Dijital Aşırı Yüklenme , Stratejik Sessizlik , Dijital İyi Oluş , Duygusal Emek

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