Do you constantly check your Snap Chat? Instagram? You are not alone if you do. The Pew Research Center reports that 95% of young people have a smartphone, and 45% say they are online “almost constantly.” This has given rise to concerns about the overuse of social media. In fact, research shows that social media addiction may be occurring in some users. Over the past 5 years, there have been a lot of studies assessing how excessive social media use can impact negatively on health. Fortunately, only a small number of people are truly addicted to social media. That said, overuse is associated with a few psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Most young people access social media through their smartphones, so its use is related to the “fear of missing out” (FOMO) on what’s happening in their social circles. Your personality may determine why you become so tied to social media. One study had 275 social networking site users who were students at a large North American university. First, they completed the Big Five personality test. Four weeks later, researchers assessed their level of addiction to their favorite social media site. To assess social media addiction, they had students rate statements like “I sometimes neglect important things because of my interest in this social networking website.” The study found that three personality traits were associated with social media addiction: neuroticism, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. Neuroticism was positively related to addiction to social media, while conscientiousness and agreeableness were negatively related...........

Discussion Questions

 1. Discuss the pros and cons of using social media networking sites. Do you feel that the benefits outweigh the costs? Explain your position.

2. Reflect on your personality characteristics discussed in this chapter. Do you feel that you may tend to overuse social media? Which personality traits explain this?

3. Research shows that women use social media more than men (but men tend to play online video games more than women). Explain this difference.