The interplay between neuroticism, extraversion, and social media addiction in young adult Facebook users: Testing the mediating role of online activity using objective data
Abstract
Studies indicate neuroticism and extraversion as factors explaining individual differences in online activity, and social media addiction. The present study investigates the hypothesis that extraversion and neuroticism may be linked with social media addiction because of their association with higher online posting activity. Further, we test the additional hypothesis that the level of positive social feedback received online (i.e., number of Likes) could play a role in mediating this effect, i.e., a serial mediation effect. Sample consisted of 1094 Facebook users, 72% females, aged 18-35. Social media activity was assessed collecting Facebook passive data consisting of the number of status updates, and Likes received during the last 12 months. Personality and social media addiction were assessed via self-report measures. Results showed neuroticism had a direct positive association with addictive social media use, while extraversion did not. Further, frequency of status updates mediated of the link between each personality trait and addictive social media use. Received Likes mediated the link between extraversion and addictive social media use, while no effect emerged for neuroticism. Finally, we found support for the hypothesis of a serial mediation effect linking personality, number of status updates, received Likes, and social media addiction. For both extroverts and neurotics, receiving positive feedback because of increased activity was linked to an increase in the risk f…
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Social media addiction has been positively linked to neuroticism.
“Social media addiction has also been positively linked to neuroticism [27, 28], and individuals scoring high on this trait are drawn to social networks as they offer recognition and validation [27].”
From Social media addiction: associations with attachment style, mental distress, and personality (2024) · cites this paper as [28]
Marengo et al. did not observe a relationship between social media addiction and extraversion.
“Marengo et al. [28] align with our findings by not observing a relationship between social media addiction and extraversion.”
From Social media addiction: associations with attachment style, mental distress, and personality (2024) · cites this paper as Marengo et al. [28]
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“Social media addiction has also been positively linked to neuroticism [27, 28], and individuals scoring high on this trait are drawn to social networks as they offer recognition and validation [27].”
Background
- Authors
- Marengo, D., Poletti, I., & Settanni, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Turin (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Marengo, Davide
- Venue
- Addictive Behaviors
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-03
- Volume
- 102
- Pages
- 106150
- ISSN
- 0306-4603 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2981605301
- Cited by
- 103
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 16
- FWCI
- 26.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Addictive Behaviors (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Institutional Research Information System University of Turin (University of Turin) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- neuroticism, extraversion, social media addiction, Facebook, online activities, status updates, likes, social feedback, personality traits, young adults, serial mediation
- MeSH terms
- Neuroticism, Online Social Networking, Mediation Analysis, Internet Addiction Disorder, Adolescent, Adult, Extraversion, Psychological, Female, Humans, Male, Young Adult
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