196 - Perfectionist Self-Presentation and Social Media Motives as Mediators of Narcissism and Problematic Social Media Use

Abstract

According to the Compensatory Internet Use Theory (Kardefelt-Winther, 2014), individuals may use social media to compensate for challenges they may experience socially and/or to meet certain psychological or emotional needs. This compensation may increase the risk of problematic social media use, including addiction and stalking behavior. Researchers have linked both grandiose narcissism (exhibitionism, self-importance, and reflecting self-perceptions of grandiosity and dominance) and vulnerable narcissism (hypersensitivity to the opinions of others, defensiveness, and insecurity) to problematic social media behaviors. We examined both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism as predictors of social media stalking and addiction, with perfectionistic self-presentation and social media motives as mediators. Results indicated that perfectionistic self-presentation and fear of missing out fully mediated the relationship between vulnerable narcissism and addiction and stalking. In contrast, perfectionistic self-presentation and praise/popularity motives when using social media fully mediated the relationship between grandiose narcissism and addiction and stalking. In addition, using social media to hurt/punish others fully mediated the relationship between grandiose narcissism and stalking. Implications for interventions to reduce social media addiction and stalking are discussed