Kagan Kircaburun

Analyzing the Links Between Problematic Social Media Use, Dark Triad Traits, and Self-esteem

Social media use, which is regarded as a popular leisure activity around the world, brings about the risk of becoming problematic in its wake, and personality differences have been shown to relate with different levels of engagement in risky social media use. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of problematic social media use (PSMU) with Dark Triad (DT) traits (i.e., Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) and self-esteem. A total of 827 university students [495 (60%) women and 332 (40%) men, Mageu2009=u200920.36, SDu2009=u20091.47] filled out a questionnaire that included the Social Media Disorder Scale, Dark Triad Dirty Dozen Scale, and Single Item Self-esteem Scale. The direct effects of DT traits and self-esteem on PSMU and the indirect effect of narcissism on PSMU through self-esteem were investigated by applying structural equation modeling. Results indicated that, when controlling for gender and age, Machiavellianism and narcissism had small significant direct effects on PSMU, while the partial indirect link of narcissism via self-esteem was negligible. The model was able to explain 18% of the variance. Results were discussed in the light of existing literature.

Uses and Gratifications of Problematic Social Media Use Among University Students: a Simultaneous Examination of the Big Five of Personality Traits, Social Media Platforms, and Social Media Use Motives

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 32xa0years ( M u2009=u200920.49, SDu2009=u20091.73; 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.

Problematic Online Behaviors among Adolescents and Emerging Adults: Associations between Cyberbullying Perpetration, Problematic Social Media Use, and Psychosocial Factors

Over the past two decades, young people’s engagement in online activities has grown markedly. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between two specific online behaviors (i.e., cyberbullying perpetration, problematic social media use) and their relationships with social connectedness, belongingness, depression, and self-esteem among high school and university students. Data were collected from two different study groups via two questionnaires that included the Cyberbullying Offending Scale, Social Media Use Questionnaire, Social Connectedness Scale, General Belongingness Scale, Short Depression-Happiness Scale, and Single Item Self-Esteem Scale. Study 1 comprised 804 high school students (48% female; mean age 16.20xa0years). Study 2 comprised 760 university students (60% female; mean age 21.48xa0years). Results indicated that problematic social media use and cyberbullying perpetration (which was stronger among high school students) were directly associated with each other. Belongingness (directly) and social connectedness (indirectly) were both associated with cyberbullying perpetration and problematic social media use. Path analysis demonstrated that while age was a significant direct predictor of problematic social media use and cyberbullying perpetration among university students, it was not significant among high school students. In both samples, depression was a direct predictor of problematic social media use and an indirect predictor of cyberbullying perpetration. However, majority of these associations were relatively weak. The present study significantly adds to the emerging body of literature concerning the associations between problematic social media use and cyberbullying perpetration.

Cyberbullying perpetration among undergraduates: evidence of the roles of chronotype and sleep quality

Abstract Cyberbullying is one of the important negative issues among adolescents and youngsters. Victims of cyberbullying perpetration have been reported to suffer many psychological and emotional problems that can lead them as far to suicide. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the associations of cyberbullying perpetration with gender, personality traits, chronotype, and sleep quality. Three hundred and fifty-three freshman and sophomore university students from Turkey (45.9% (n = 162) female and 54.1% (n = 191) male) completed a questionnaire that included Cyberbullying Scale, Big-5 Inventory, Composite Scale of Morningness, and Sleep Quality Scale. The most conspicuous result of the study was that chronotype and sleep quality were significant predictors of cyberbullying perpetration. Evening-type students had significantly higher scores on cyberbullying scale than neither-type students and morning-type students, and also neither-type students had higher scores on cyberbullying scale than morning-type students. Further, poorer sleep quality, being male, higher extraversion, higher neuroticism, and lower conscientiousness were related to higher cyberbullying perpetration.

Problematic Instagram Use: The Role of Perceived Feeling of Presence and Escapism

The use of social networking sites is becoming increasingly popular. Although there are many studies investigating the problematic use of social networking sites such as Facebook, little is known about problematic Instagram use (PIU) and factors related to it. The present study developed a complex model in order to examine the mediating role of perceived feeling of presence (i.e., social, spatial, and co-presence) and escapism between using different Instagram features and PIU. A total of 333 Instagram users from a high school and a state university, aged between 14 and 23xa0years (Mageu2009=u200917.74xa0years, SDu2009=u20092.37, 61% female), completed a “paper-and-pencil” questionnaire comprising measures of social presence, spatial presence, co-presence, Instagram escapism, and PIU. In addition, frequency of use of five different Instagram features (i.e., watching live streams; watching videos; looking at posted photographs; liking, commenting on others’ posts; and getting likes and comments from others) were assessed using a 7-point Likert scale. Analysis indicated that watching live streams was indirectly associated with PIU via escapism, spatial presence, and co-presence. Leaving likes and comments on others’ posts was both directly and indirectly associated with PIU via co-presence and escapism. Escapism mediated the relationships between social and spatial presence and co-presence and PIU. The findings of the present study appear to indicate that a minority of individuals use Instagram problematically and that problematic Instagram use is associated with the frequency of watching live streams, liking, and commenting on others’ posts on Instagram, being able to feel a higher sense of presence using Instagram, and using Instagram as an escape from reality.

Childhood Emotional Trauma and Cyberbullying Perpetration Among Emerging Adults: A Multiple Mediation Model of the Role of Problematic Social Media Use and Psychopathology

Research suggests that a small minority of social media users experience problems as a result of their online use. The purpose of the present study was to examine the association of cyberbullying perpetration and problematic social media use with childhood emotional trauma, Cluster B (narcissistic, histrionic, antisocial, and borderline) personality traits, dissociative experiences (DEs), depression, and self-esteem in a nonclinical undergraduate sample. A total of 344 university students volunteered to complete a questionnaire that included measures on the aforementioned dimensions. Thirty-eight percent of the participants had emotional neglect and 27% had emotional abuse, while 44% of them demonstrated at least one cyberbullying perpetration behavior. Results indicated that cyberbullying perpetrators had higher scores on problematic social media use, dissociative experiences, Cluster B traits, depression and childhood emotional trauma, and lower on self-esteem. Path analysis demonstrated that, while adjusting for gender and age, childhood emotional trauma was directly and indirectly associated with cyberbullying perpetration via Cluster B traits. Moreover, depression and dissociation were directly associated with problematic social media use. The findings of this study emphasize the important direct role of childhood emotional trauma and pathological personality traits on cyberbullying perpetration.

The Mediating Role of Self/Everyday Creativity and Depression on the Relationship Between Creative Personality Traits and Problematic Social Media Use Among Emerging Adults

Personality is one of the important contributory factors in the development of problematic technology use. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the direct and indirect associations of creative personality traits with problematic social media use via self/everyday creativity, depression, and loneliness. A total of 460 Turkish emerging adults aged between 18 and 26xa0years (61% female) were surveyed. Findings indicated that (i) task-orientedness was indirectly associated with problematic social media use via self/everyday creativity, (ii) self-confidence was directly and indirectly associated with problematic social media use via self/everyday creativity and depression, (iii) risk-taking was indirectly associated with problematic social media use via depression, and (iv) self/everyday creativity and depression were directly associated with problematic social media use. The present study is the first to suggest that creative personality traits (i.e., task-orientedness, self-confidence, and risk-taking) and self/everyday creativity are associated with problematic social media use and that these factors should be taken into account when considering the etiology of problematic social media use.

Neuroticism, Trait Fear of Missing Out, and Phubbing: The Mediating Role of State Fear of Missing Out and Problematic Instagram Use

One of the relatively new negative consequences of smartphone use is “phubbing” (snubbing someone while an individual checks their smartphone in the middle of a real-life conversation). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the direct and indirect associations of neuroticism, trait anxiety, and trait fear of missing out with phubbing via state fear of missing out and problematic Instagram use. A total of 423 adolescents and emerging adults aged between 14 and 21xa0years (53% female) participated in the study. Findings indicated that females had significantly higher scores of phubbing, fear of missing out, problematic Instagram use, trait anxiety, and neuroticism. Path analysis showed that trait fear of missing out and neuroticism were indirectly associated with phubbing via state fear of missing out and problematic Instagram use. State fear of missing out was directly and indirectly associated with phubbing via problematic Instagram use. The present study is the first to demonstrate empirical evidence for the relationship between different dimensions of fear of missing out, problematic Instagram use, and phubbing.

Adolescents’ eveningness chronotype and cyberbullying perpetration: the mediating role of depression-related aggression and anxiety-related aggression

ABSTRACT Recent empirical evidence has indicated a positive relationship between university students’ evening-type chronotype and their cyberbullying perpetration (CBP) scores while controlling for gender and Big Five personality dimensions. The aims of the present study were (i) to replicate the results of the aforementioned study with an adolescent sample, and (ii) to examine the mediating role of depression, anxiety, and aggression on the relationship between chronotype and CBP. In order to investigate these aims, 493 high-school students were recruited to complete a survey that included the Reduced Morningness–Eveningness Scale, Short Depression Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Short Form, Aggression Questionnaire, and Cyberbullying Offending Scale. Results indicated that while females had higher depression and anxiety scores, males scored higher on CBP. Path analysis showed that aggression, depression-related aggression, and anxiety-related aggression fully mediated the relationship between evening-type chronotype and CBP. There were also significant gender differences in the model. Furthermore, physiological factors had an indirect effect on CBP via psychological risk factors and emotion-related negative behaviors.