Internet applications use and personality

The Intersection of Personality Traits and Social Media Usage: Large-Scale Representative Samples of Internet Users in Sweden

This paper aims to explore the relationship between the Big Five model of personality traits and social media usage in a Swedish context. The paper consists of three representative studies of the Swedish population in the age range 16 to 85. In Study 1 (N = 6542), the Big Five personality factors were measured by HP5i. In Study 2 (N = 3322) and Study 3 (N = 3302), the Big Five personality factors were measured by BFI-10. Different personality inventories and time periods for data collection were the basis for the breakdown of the studies. In all three studies, social media usage was measured by a self-reported estimation of frequencies. For each study, correlation matrixes between the study variables were first presented, followed by hierarchical regression analyses to test if personality factors predicted internet users’ social media usage. Gender and age were control variables. Over and above the effects of gender and age, all three studies found that social media usage is positively associated with extraversion. The first two studies also found that social media usage is associated with a high degree of openness to experiences and a low degree of conscientiousness. The reliability of the findings is strengthened through different personality inventories, large-scale representative samples of the Swedish population, and replications over time. However, since personality and social media usage vary between different cultures and time periods, caution should be taken in generalizing the results.

The Relationship Between Problematic Internet Use, WhatsApp and Personality

The manner and frequency of Internet use may reflect the needs, preferences, values, personal motivations and personality characteristics of users. The aim of this research was to analyse the relationship between the Big Five Personality factors and impulsivity with Problematic Internet Use and the Negative Impact of WhatsApp. The sample consisted of 630 university students (75.7% female) aged between 18 and 62 years (M = 21.23). The results indicated that the Big Five Personality factors and impulsivity correlated significantly with Problematic Internet Use and the Negative Impact of WhatsApp. Impulsivity proved to be the most important predictor of Problematic Internet Use and the Negative Impact of WhatsApp. It can be concluded, cautiously, that impulsive people have a greater predisposition to develop Problematic Internet Use and, also to experience a greater negative impact due to the use of WhatsApp.