Connecting personality traits to social networking site addiction: the mediating role of motives

Food choice motives mediate the relationship between delay discounting and binge eating: A structural equation modelling approach

Binge eating (BE) is associated with psychological distress, functional impairment, and elevated risk of eating disorder diagnoses, and BE prevalence is increasing. Motivational and self-regulatory processes such as delay discounting may be important influences on BE; however, evidence is inconclusive, and lacks explanation of mechanisms. This study investigated how food choice motives mediate the pathway from delay discounting (DD) to BE symptomatology. Adult participants (N = 391, 80% female, mean age 38.93) completed the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (DD), Food Choice Questionnaire (food choice motives), and Binge Eating Scale online. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyse hypothesised partially-mediated pathways from DD to BE via Health, Mood, and Sensory Appeal food choice motives, incorporating participant age, sex, BMI, and Weight Control motives. The best fitting SEM indicated steeper DD was associated with greater BE, but this effect was fully mediated by lesser endorsement of Health motives. Greater endorsement of Mood and Weight Control motives, along with female sex and higher BMI, also accompanied greater BE symptomatology. Counter to hypotheses, Mood and Sensory Appeal did not mediate the relationship between DD and BE. The novel finding that Health motives mediated the effect of DD on BE suggests steeper discounting may hinder the longer-term perspective needed to value the health attributes of food, and thus promote food intake for immediate reinforcement. The significant effects of Weight Control and Mood motives independent of DD suggest support for overvaluation of weight and shape and negative reinforcement mechanisms in the etiology of BE. Our study highlights the influence of food choice motives and DD in BE, and supports the integration of individualised motivational and neurocognitive interventions in eating disorder treatment.

The relationship between self-control and internet gaming disorder and problematic social networking site use: the mediation effects of internet use motives

Introduction

This study aimed to explore the relationships between problematic social networking site use (PSNSU), Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), internet use motives, and self-control among university students in China and Japan. Specifically, it investigated the indirect effects of self-control on IGD and PSNSU through various internet use motives, considering gender differences.

Methods

A sample of 697 university students (465 females; 397 Chinese) was surveyed. Path analysis was conducted separately for male and female users to examine the relationships between self-control, internet use motives, IGD, and PSNSU.

Results

The results indicated that self-control had significant indirect effects on IGD through enhancement (β = 0.096**, p = 0.005), social (β = -0.090**, p = 0.007), and conformity (β = -0.117**, p = 0.001) motives, but these effects were observed only in the male group. Self-control also exhibited indirect effects on PSNSU through enhancement, social, coping, and conformity motives, with a greater impact observed on PSNSU than on IGD. Gender differences in mediating effects were identified, with males and females showing distinct patterns.

Discussion

The findings highlight the importance of understanding gender differences and motivational factors in problematic internet use. These insights contribute to a better understanding of how internet use motives influence IGD and PSNSU in different contexts.

COVID-19-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders Relation With Social Media Addiction Among University Students: Mediating Role of Fear of Missing Out

OBJECTIVE

Traumatic experiences and stressful life events have crippling outcomes on individuals' psychiatric disorders and are also frequently comorbid with addictive behaviors. This study aims to propose a mediation model to examine the association between coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social media addiction (SMA) among university students, and the mediating role of fear of missing out (FoMO).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study with 856 university students (mean age 19.2 years; 67.9% female) was conducted in China. The COVID-19-related PTSD scale, the FoMO scale, and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale were used, in addition to an online questionnaire addressing participants' sociodemographic information. Descriptive statistics and correlations were conducted with SPSS 21.0. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) with AMOS 21.0 was performed to assess the hypothesized mediation mode. The bootstrap with the 95% confidence interval (CI) was computed to test the significance of the mediating effect.

RESULTS

SEM demonstrated that COVID-19-related PTSD symptoms significantly and negatively influenced SMA (β=0.247, p<0.001), FoMO significantly and positively affected university students' SMA (β=0.341, p<0.001), and FoMO partially mediated the association between COVID-19-related PTSD symptoms and SMA. The mediation effect of FoMO was 0.176, with bootstrapping 95% CI=0.123, 0.235.

CONCLUSION

The main effects of COVID-19-related PTSD symptoms and FoMO on SMA among university students were identified, providing intervention strategies for mental health professionals on how to reduce the risk of SMA when confronting future traumatic events and public health crises.

The Association Between Neuroticism and Problematic Social Networking Sites Use: The Role of Fear of Missing out and Self-Control

Problematic use of social networking sites (SNS) has a negative impact on mental health. It has been found that people who score high on neuroticism are especially vulnerable towards engaging with SNS in a problematic way but it is not clear which psychological mechanisms explain this relationship. We addressed this issue by examining the mediating role of fear of missing out and self-control in the relationship between neuroticism and problematic SNS use. For this purpose, we conducted a cross-sectional study (n = 151, 69.5% female, Mage = 26.23, SD = 7.52) and tested for parallel mediation using structural equation modelling. Neuroticism was found to be predictive of increased levels of problematic SNS use. Moreover, neuroticism was associated with both increased levels of fear of missing out and decreased levels of self-control. However, only fear of missing out was found to robustly mediate the relationship between neuroticism and problematic use of SNS. These findings suggest that fear of missing out could be an intervention target to prevent people scoring high on neuroticism from engaging in problematic SNS use.

The mediating effect of social network identity management on the relationship between personality traits and social media addiction among pre-service teachers

BACKGROUND

The use of social media has become an important part individuals' daily lives and is used in many daily life activities, such as social interaction, education, and shopping. However, with the increase in the use of social media, a minority of individuals can experience problematic use (and in extreme cases, 'social media addiction'). The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of personality traits on social media addiction and the mediating role of social network identity management in this relationship among preservice teachers.

METHODS

The data were collected from 275 pre-service teachers at a university in Türkiye. The survey included the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), the Social Network Identity Management Scale, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and a personal information form.

RESULTS

The findings of the study indicated that there was a relationship between personality traits, social network identity management, and social media addiction. Specifically, neuroticism was positively associated with social media addiction, whereas extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness were negatively associated. The results also indicated that social network identity management mediated the effect of personality traits on social media addiction.

CONCLUSION

Given that the present investigation was only a preliminary study, further research is needed to examine whether social network identity management is an important determinant in understanding the relationship between personality traits and social media addiction.

Technostress and academic motivation: direct and indirect effects on university students' psychological health

Introduction

Research has well demonstrated that the pandemic entailed several implications among university students worldwide in terms of increased use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), technostress, disruptions in academic goals and motivation processes, and growing psychological suffering. Responding to the new research need to go in-depth into the processes linking technostress and motivation dimensions to inform current research/interventions, the present study aimed to explore the direct effects of perceived Technostress dimensions (Techno-Overload, Work-Home Conflict, Pace of Change, Techno-Ease, Techno-Reliability, and Techno-Sociality) and Academic Motivation dimensions (Amotivation, Intrinsic, and Extrinsic Motivation dimensions) on students' perceived levels of Anxiety/Depression and test the potential indirect effect (mediating role) of Academic Motivation dimensions in the associations between Technostress and psychological health conditions.

Methods

Overall, 1,541 students from five European countries (Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Serbia, United Kingdom) completed a survey comprising a Background Information Form, the Technostress Scale, the Academic Motivation Scale-College, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Hayes' PROCESS tool was used to test direct and indirect (mediating) effects.

Results

Data revealed that Techno-Overload, Work-Home Conflict, Amotivation, and Extrinsic Motivation-Introjected had a direct negative effect, whereas Techno-Ease, Techno-Reliability, Techno-Sociality, all Intrinsic Motivation dimensions, and Extrinsic Motivation-Identified had a direct protective role for students' psychological health. The significant indirect role of motivation dimensions in the associations between Technostress dimensions and Anxiety/Depression was fully supported.

Discussion

Findings allow gaining further insight into the pathways of relationships between technostress, motivation, and psychological health, to be used in the current phase, featured by the complete restoration of face-to-face contacts, to inform the development of tailored research and interventions, which address lights and shadows of the technology use, and which take into account the necessity to enhance its potentials yet without impairing students' motivation and psychological health.

The relationship of social media addiction with interpersonal problem-solving and personality traits in university students

This study aims to examine the relationship of social media addiction with personality traits and interpersonal problem-solving style. Two hundred forty-four students participated in this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic form, Social Media Addiction Scale, Short-Form Five Factor Personality Inventory, and Interpersonal Problem-Solving Inventory were used to collect the study's data. According to the result of analysis, it was determined that the agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to improvement personality trait scores increased as the social media addiction score increased. As the scores of approaching problems in a negative way, unwillingness to take responsibility, and lack of self-confidence increased, it was observed that social media addiction scores were increased. It was determined as constructive problem-solving and insistent-preserving approach scores increased, social media addiction scores decreased. This study would contribute to the literature by introducing a new concept to the factors affecting social media addiction.

Facebook use intensity and depressive symptoms: a moderated mediation model of problematic Facebook use, age, neuroticism, and extraversion

BACKGROUND

Research on the relationship between Facebook use intensity and depressive symptoms has resulted in mixed findings. In contrast, problematic Facebook use has been found to be a robust predictor of depressive symptoms. This suggests that when intense Facebook use results in a problematic usage pattern, it may indirectly predict depressive symptoms. However, this mediation pathway has never been examined. Moreover, it remains unclear whether the possible indirect relationship between Facebook use intensity and depressive symptoms through problematic Facebook use is moderated by demographic (age), and personality (neuroticism and extraversion) characteristics.

METHODS

To address these gaps, we conducted an online cross-sectional study (n = 210, 55% female, age range: 18-70 years old, M_age = 30.26, SD = 12.25). We measured Facebook use intensity (Facebook Intensity Scale), problematic Facebook use (Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale), depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised), and neuroticism and extraversion (Ten Item Personality Inventory).

RESULTS

A mediation analysis revealed that problematic Facebook use fully mediates the relationship between Facebook use intensity and depressive symptoms. Moreover, a moderated mediation analysis demonstrated that this indirect relationship is especially strong among young users and users scoring high on neuroticism.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between Facebook use intensity and depressive symptoms and describe user characteristics that act as vulnerability factors in this relationship.

Psychometric Properties of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale in Korean Young Adults

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) in Korean young adults.

METHODS

A total of 401 Korean university students (mean age±SD, 21.9±1.8 years; female, 72.8%) participated in the study. They completed the Korean version of BSMAS, the Social Network Site Addiction Proneness Scale (SAPS), and the Social Network Site Use Motives Scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted in half-split samples to assess the construct validity of the BSMAS. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity were examined.

RESULTS

Both EFA and CFA supported a unidimensional model of the BSMAS. Indices of test-retest reliability at a 3-week interval (r=0.75) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.86) of the BSMAS were acceptable and convergent validity between the BSMAS and the SAPS (r=0.86) was satisfactory.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that the BSMAS is an effective tool for screening social network site (SNS) addiction in Korean young adults and is a psychometrically sound measure that can be used in future Korean research on SNS addiction.

The Path to Hedonic Information System Use Addiction: A Process Model in the Context of Social Networking Sites

Addiction to hedonic information systems yields significant negative consequences for users. Although we know about the causes of addictions, particularly those related to individual differences, recent evidence suggests that addiction evolves gradually over time and is rooted in shared characteristics of users and technology. This paper provides a longitudinal perspective over how and why hedonic information systems (IS) use addiction develops. Based on our analysis, we break down this process into three phases characterized by different types of use, whether nominal, compulsive, or addicted. Each phase highlights salient psychological needs that motivate, technology features that enable, and affordances that are actualized into each type of use. We also provide a detailed account of individuals’ self-control mechanisms, explaining how deficiencies in sensing, comparing, or regulating behavior facilitate one’s transition toward addiction. These insights are applicable to other hedonic IS that are similar in terms of ubiquity and constant access through mobile apps. They point to heterogeneous (preventive or intervening) strategies that can be used to help people regain their control over use, depending on where they are in their trajectory toward addicted use. Our findings carry implications for the design of systems and features that can help reduce the likelihood of addiction development.

After-hours work-related technology use and individuals' deviance: the role of other-initiated versus self-initiated interruptions

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of after-hours work-related technology use on interpersonal, organizational and nonwork deviance through work–family conflict (WFC) by focusing on the moderating role of other- and self-initiated interruptions.

Design/methodology/approach

The online survey included 318 valid samples from employees working in different organizations in the Anhui provinces of the People's Republic of China. The authors applied Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) process macros for testing mediation and moderated mediation analysis while conducting path analytic procedures and bootstrapping analysis.

Findings

This study found that after-hours work-related technology use is positively associated with interpersonal, organizational and nonwork deviance through WFC. This positive relationship strengthens in the presence of other-initiated interruptions compared with self-initiated interruptions. The results show that as compared to self-initiated interruptions, other-initiated interruptions strengthen the relationship between after-hours work-related technology use and its outcomes in the forms of WFC and deviance.

Originality/value

After-hours work-related technology use is a ubiquitous phenomenon and got significant scholarly attention. However, its effect on WFC and individual deviant behaviors has never been studied. Moreover, the moderated-mediation role of self-initiated and other-initiated interruptions presents a unique and important development in the context of after-hours work-related technology use and deviant behavior.

Psychosocial Correlates of Excessive Social Media Use in a Hispanic College Sample

Excessive social media has emerged as a potential behavioral addiction with multiple consequences, especially in young adulthood (18-24 years). This study aimed to assess the relationship between excessive social media use, sociodemographics, and psychosocial constructs in a Hispanic college student sample. College students (n = 621; n = 456 females; n = 160 males) from a university located on the U.S./Mexico border completed a survey assessing sociodemographics, social media addiction, social media use, and psychosocial constructs (e.g., Internet motives, sensation seeking, and need for drama [NFD]). Descriptive analyses were conducted, as were two linear regressions assessing weekly social media use and social media addiction. Participants reported using social media an average of 20 hours a week (SD = 19.47). In addition, 57.9 percent of participants reported using social media once a day or more, whereas 15.1 percent met the social media addiction threshold. Weekly social media use was positively associated with NFD, socialization, and coping as motives while being negatively associated with age. Social media addiction was positively associated with NFD and coping while being negatively associated with age. Findings suggest that Hispanic college students evidence high social media use rates and may be using social media as an unhealthy strategy to deal with negative mood and daily problems. Furthermore, college students may be using social media as an avenue to engage in attention-seeking behaviors and manipulation of others. Prospective studies are warranted to assess these relationships temporally, as are intervention efforts aimed at reducing excessive social media use.

From phubee to phubber: the transmission of phone snubbing behavior between marital partners

Purpose

The ubiquity of mobile phone use has generated a common phenomenon called phubbing, a reference to snubbing someone in social settings and instead concentrating on one's phone. Despite numerous adverse effects of phubbing argued in previous research, the group of phubbers is growing intensively. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential transmission of phubbing between marital partners to raise public awareness of the propagation of phubbing.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-wave study with a 3-month interval was conducted, using matched husband–wife data from 253 Chinese couples. Husbands and wives separately completed questionnaires about their spouses’ phubbing and their marital quality. The dyadic data analysis method was applied to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The results confirm the transmission of phubbing and show a pronounced gender asymmetry in the process of phubbing transmission. Phubbing could be transmitted from wives to husbands, but not vice versa. Specifically, only wives' phubbing significantly undermine relationship quality, while relationship quality was negatively related to both husbands' phubbing and wives' phubbing.

Originality/value

This study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanism of phubbing transmission and provide support for reciprocity theory and social role theory. Results can cause public attention to the transmissibility of phubbing and provide enlightenment on the management of personal phone behavior and offer insight into research on technology use in other types of interpersonal relationships.

Exhaustion and dependency: a habituation–sensitization perspective on the duality of habit in social media use

Purpose

The current work builds on the dual process theory of habituation and sensitization to empirically investigate theory-based mechanisms through which social media use habit influences continued social media use intentions in the context of problematic social media use (SMU).

Design/methodology/approach

We build on the dual process theory of habituation and sensitization and test our model with structural equation modeling technique applied to survey-based data collected from 337 social media users.

Findings

Findings suggest that SMU Habit may increase user's perceived Habituation and directly reduce user's experienced SMU related Exhaustion. Furthermore, Habituation and SMU related Exhaustion are negatively associated in a nonlinear fashion. Also, SMU Habit may promote higher level of SMU Dependency through Sensitization. Increased level of SMU Dependency is associated with increased level of SMU related Exhaustion. Thus, SMU Habit simultaneously shapes two opposing forces driving continued use decisions.

Practical implications

The current work can serve as a basis for developing effective interventions especially given the increase in problematic uses of IS fostered by the development of technology use habits.

Originality/value

Although separate strands of research independently examined the role of “pull” forces such as SMU dependency and the role of “push” forces such as SMU related Exhaustion in influencing users' inclination toward future SMU, a unified theoretical framework considering the triad of SMU Habit, “pull” and “push” forces together is yet to be offered. Deploying Habituation–Sensitization theory will shed new light on dual mechanisms through which habit drives continued use decisions in SMU context. Thus, the current work can serve as a basis for developing effective interventions given the increase in problematic uses of IS.

Does multitasking computer self-efficacy mitigate the impact of social media affordances on overload and fatigue among professionals?

Purpose

This paper investigates the moderating role of multitasking computer self-efficacy on the relationship between social media affordances and social media overload as well as its moderation between social media overload and social media fatigue.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors hypothesize that social media affordances will have a positive impact on social media overload (i.e. information and communication overload). They also hypothesize that social media overload will affect social media fatigue. In addition, they hypothesize that multitasking computer self-efficacy will attenuate the effect of social media affordances on both information overload and communication overload. Similarly, they also hypothesize that multitasking computer self-efficacy will attenuate the effects of both information overload and communication overload on fatigue. The authors test this model by collecting two-wave data from 220 professionals using PLS techniques.

Findings

Social media affordances have significant impacts on information overload, but not on communication overload. In turn, information overload and communication overload significantly affect social media fatigue. Multitasking computer self-efficacy was found to attenuate the effect of social media affordances on both information overload and communication overload. Furthermore, the study results suggest that multitasking computer self-efficacy attenuates the effect of information overload and reinforces the effect of communication overload on social media fatigue.

Originality/value

Most prior literature focused on students rather than on professionals. There is a lack of research that investigates how the affordances of social media relate to social media overload and fatigue. Furthermore, research that investigates mitigating mechanisms of social media fatigue has been rare. This paper fills these important research gaps.

Dark side of online social games (OSG) using Facebook platform: effect of age, gender, and identity as moderators

Purpose

Online social games (OSG) possess unique characteristics that distinguish them from other kind of online games. Its overuse has brought addiction to it. In this perspective, the purpose of this study is to identify the factors impacting addiction of OSG and to investigate the role of age, gender and identity (students and non-students) to moderate addiction of OSG.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has developed a research model by the help of literature review and different relevant theories. This model has been validated by survey method using feedbacks of 305 social game players. Structural equation modeling technique has been used to validate the model.

Findings

The study has been able to find key factors of social influence and individual influence (characteristics) that impact the intention of the online social games players to play social games that ultimately may cause addiction to online social games. Further, the study highlights that gender and identity (students and non-students) have no effects on the addictive behavior of the social game players, whereas age has a moderating impact.

Practical implications

The results of this study have derived a set of rich guidelines to the policymakers and the management of social media platforms (like Facebook) toward framing policy and regulations on online social games.

Originality/value

The study has been able to uniquely highlight the dark side of online social games and its consequences. The study also provides a guideline to the policymakers, practitioners and online social game players on how to restrict its over usage that may prompt online social game addiction.