Personality Traits, Motivations, and Emotional Consequences of Social Media Usage (original) (raw)
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Recent studies suggest that users' preferences of social media use differ according to their individual differences and use motives, and that these factors can lead to problematic social media use (PSMU) among a minority of users. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the influences of (i) demographics and Big Five personality dimensions on social media use motives; (ii) demographics and use motives on social media site preferences; and (iii) demographics, personality, popular social media sites, and social media use motives on PSMU. The sample comprised 1008 undergraduate students, aged between 17 and 32 years (M = 20.49, SD = 1.73; 60.5% women). The participants completed a questionnaire comprising the Social Media Use Questionnaire, Social Media Usage Aims Scale, and Ten-Item Personality Inventory. Multiple linear and hierarchical regression analyses showed that social media use motives of (i) meeting new people and socializing, (ii) expressing or presenting a more popular self, and (iii) passing time and entertainment were associated with problematic social media use. Moreover, participants that preferred Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook reported higher scores of problematic social media use. Finally, being female, introverted, conscientious, agreeable, and neurotic were associated with PSMU. The findings offer empirical evidence for uses and gratifications theory because the findings demonstrated that (i) different personality traits predict different motives, (ii) different motives predict preference of different platforms, and (iii) different individual differences such as personality, preference of platform, and specific use motives predict PSMU.
Computers in Human Behavior, 2010
In the increasingly user-generated Web, users’ personality traits may be crucial factors leading them to engage in this participatory media. The literature suggests factors such as extroversion, emotional stability and openness to experience are related to uses of social applications on the Internet. Using a national sample of US adults, this study investigated the relationship between these three dimensions of the Big Five model and social media use (defined as use of social networking sites and instant messages). It also examined whether gender and age played a role in that dynamic. Results revealed that while extraversion and openness to experiences were positively related to social media use, emotional stability was a negative predictor, controlling for socio-demographics and life satisfaction. These findings differed by gender and age. While extraverted men and women were both likely to be more frequent users of social media tools, only the men with greater degrees of emotional instability were more regular users. The relationship between extraversion and social media use was particularly important among the young adult cohort. Conversely, being open to new experiences emerged as an important personality predictor of social media use for the more mature segment of the sample.
In the increasingly User-generated Web, users’ personality traits may be crucial factors leading them to engage in this participatory media.The present research examined how big five traitsaremanifested on social networking sites. The literature suggests factors such as extraversion, neuroticism and openness to experience are related to uses of social applications on the Internet. Results revealed that while extraversion and openness to experiences were positively related to social media use, neuroticism is a negative predictor, controlling for sociodemographics and life satisfaction. Open to new experiences emerged as an important personality predictor of social media use.
Currently, 2.7 billion people use at least one of the Facebook-owned social media platforms-Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Previous research investigating individual differences between users and non-users of these platforms has typically focused on one platform. However, individuals typically use a combination of Facebookowned platforms. Therefore, we aim (1) to identify the relative prevalence of different patterns of social media use, and (2) to evaluate potential between-group differences in the distributions of age, gender, education, and Big Five personality traits. Data collection was performed using a cross-sectional design. Specifically, we administered a survey assessing participants' demographic variables, current use of Facebook-owned platforms, and Big Five personality traits. In N = 3003 participants from the general population (60.67% females; mean age = 35.53 years, SD = 13.53), WhatsApp emerged as the most widely used application in the sample, and hence, has the strongest reach. A pattern consisting of a combined use of WhatsApp and Instagram appeared to be most prevalent among the youngest participants. Further, individuals using at least one social media platform were generally younger, more often female, and more extraverted than non-users. Small differences in Conscientiousness and Neuroticism also emerged across groups reporting different combinations of social media use. Interestingly, when examined as control variables, we found demographic characteristics partially accounted for differences in broad personality factors and facets across different patterns of social media use. Our findings are relevant to researchers carrying out their studies via social media platforms, as sample characteristics appear to be different depending on the platform used.
Who interacts on the Web?: The intersection of users' personality and social media use
Computers in Human Behavior, 2010
In the increasingly user-generated Web, users' personality traits may be crucial factors leading them to engage in this participatory media. The literature suggests factors such as extraversion, emotional stability and openness to experience are related to uses of social applications on the Internet. Using a national sample of US adults, this study investigated the relationship between these three dimensions of the Big-Five model and social media use (defined as use of social networking sites and instant messages). It also examined whether gender and age played a role in that dynamic. Results revealed that while extraversion and openness to experiences were positively related to social media use, emotional stability was a negative predictor, controlling for socio-demographics and life satisfaction. These findings differed by gender and age. While extraverted men and women were both likely to be more frequent users of social media tools, only the men with greater degrees of emotional instability were more regular users. The relationship between extraversion and social media use was particularly important among the young adult cohort. Conversely, being open to new experiences emerged as an important personality predictor of social media use for the more mature segment of the sample.
Implications of social media on end-user personality
2014
Social media are playing an increasing role in today’s living.In Malaysia, the usage of social media has shown a significant growth in the last few years.The importance of studies concerning social media and personality is increasing day by day in line with the popularity of social media use, yet research into social media use in relation to personality traits remains rather limited.The existing literature on social media usage and its implications on end-user personality in Malaysia are also limited.The current research outlined two objectives, which are to identify the profile of social media usage among users in Malaysia, including experience, frequency of use, purpose, and reasons of social media usage, and to examine the effects of social media usage on the five factor personality traits.The study employed a cross-sectional survey using self-administered questionnaire which was distributed among university students who use social media via printed and online questionnaires.The ...
Personality and motivations associated with Facebook use
Computers in Human …, 2009
Facebook is quickly becoming one of the most popular tools for social communication. However, Facebook is somewhat different from other Social Networking Sites as it demonstrates an offline-to-online trend; that is, the majority of Facebook Friends are met offline and then added later. The present research investigated how the Five-Factor Model of personality relates to Facebook use. Despite some expected trends regarding Extraversion and Openness to Experience, results indicated that personality factors were not as influential as previous literature would suggest. The results also indicated that a motivation to communicate was influential in terms of Facebook use. It is suggested that different motivations may be influential in the decision to use tools such as Facebook, especially when individual functions of Facebook are being considered.
Drawing on uses and gratifications (U&G) theory, the current research investigates how social media users exploit different media affordances to satisfy their motives and how such motives are shaped by their personalities. A cross-sectional survey among college students (N ¼ 190) was conducted to examine their most frequently used social media platforms, use motives, and perceived media affordances. Their personalities were also assessed along the Big Five and narcissism. An exploratory factor analysis yielded five broad categories of social media use motives. Structural equation modeling results revealed that social media use motives were differentially associated with affordances and that personalities play an influential role in shaping individuals' use motives and affordance preferences. The findings are discussed in relation to the theoretical contributions to the U&G approach as well as the practical implications to social media platform design and development.
A tale of two sites: Twitter vs. Facebook and the personality predictors of social media usage
Computers in Human Behavior, 2012
Social networking sites (SNS) are quickly becoming one of the most popular tools for social interaction and information exchange. Previous research has shown a relationship between users' personality and SNS use. Using a general population sample (N=300), this study furthers such investigations by examining the personality correlates (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness-to-Experience, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Sociability and Need-for-Cognition) of social and informational use of the two largest SNS: Facebook and Twitter. Age and Gender were also examined. Results showed that personality was related to online socialising and information seeking/exchange, though not as influential as some previous research has suggested. In addition, a preference for Facebbok or Twitter was associated with differences in personality. The results reveal differential relationships between personality and Facebook and Twitter usage.
McNair Scholars Research Journal, 2017
Social network sites are attracting the attention of numerous researchers. Recently, several studies have examined how people are forming identities on social networking sites. Therefore, greater levels of variable specification are required to further the research on this topic. Testing the relationships among key variables is important when trying to understand these online social forums. Although there has been a rapid growth in the use of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, psychological theory explaining the use of social networks lags. Therefore, the purpose of this research is 1) to examine how personality traits influence which type of social network site individuals will use, and 2) to investigate whether specific social network sites are eliciting the display of particular personality characteristics. Fifty-five participants were recruited through social media (i.e., Facebook) and 239 participants were obtained from a Western University to participate in a survey. Researcher...