How HEXACO personality traits predict different selfie-posting behaviors among adolescents and young adults

Selfies are usually defined as self-portrait photos shared on social networks. Recent studies investigated how personality traits, and specifically narcissism, can be associated to different kinds of selfies. The HEXACO model, a new theory on personality structure, investigates personality on six dimensions, among which there is the Honesty/Humility trait, found strongly and negatively associated to narcissism. Thus, this study aims to investigate how different kinds of selfies could be predicted by HEXACO personality traits, controlling for age, gender and sexual orientation. Participants were 750 adolescents and young adults (59.1% girls, N = 443) from 13 to 30 years (Mage = 20.96; SDage = 4.23) who completed an online survey composed by the Kinsey scale, three questions about the frequency of different kinds of selfies (i.e. own selfies, group selfies and selfies with partner) and 60-item Hexaco Personality Inventory-Revised. Results showed that females, adolescents and not- exclusively heterosexuals posted more own selfies, and that adolescents posted also more group selfies and selfies with partner. Moreover lower Honesty/Humility, lower Conscientiousness, higher Emotionality and higher Extraversion significantly predict both own selfies and group selfies. Finally, only lower Honesty/Humility and higher Emotionality predict selfies with partner. Results suggested a common pattern of personality traits that can explain selfies behaviors according to literature on HEXACO model. Specifically, these findings enlightened that Honesty/Humility and Emotionality traits seem to be relevant in understanding selfies. People who post more selfies are lower in Honesty/Humility, showing a strong sense of self-importance and feeling superior. Moreover, they show higher Emotionality that is related to looking for social reinforcement on social networks. Only for own and group selfies, people high in Extraversion probably feel self-confident in groups, also in the online dimension, and low extraverted people probably posted less frequently because they feel uncomfortable being at the center of attention. Finally, people with high Conscientiousness spend less time online because they consider social networks as a distraction from their tasks. Thus, HEXACO model allows to better understand which personality traits can predict different kinds of selfies. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed

Magic mirror on the wall: Selfie-related behavior as mediator of the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use

Objective: Recent research has suggested that problematic smartphone use is associated with several psychological factors and that mobile apps and smartphone-related behavior (i.e. selfi e behavior) may encourage the development of problematic smartphone use. However, little is known about how the interplay between dysfunctional personality characteristics and selfi e-related behavior can infl uence problematic smartphone use. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use, as well as the mediating role of selfi e-related behavior in this relationship among young men and women. Method: In the current study, a total of 627 undergraduate students (283 males and 344 females) completed a cross-sectional survey. A structural equation model was tested separately for males and females in order to evaluate the associations between narcissism, selfi e-related behavior and problematic smartphone use. Results: The results showed that greater narcissism was related to increased selfi e-related behavior, which in turn were positively associated with problematic smartphone use both for males and females. However, selfi e-related behavior mediated the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use only for females. Conclusions: The study provides fresh insight into our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying problematic smartphone use, which may inform prevention and treatment interventions

Extroverts Tweet Differently from Introverts in Weibo

Being dominant factors driving the human actions, personalities can be excellent indicators in predicting the offline and online behavior of different individuals. However, because of the great expense and inevitable subjectivity in questionnaires and surveys, it is challenging for conventional studies to explore the connection between personality and behavior and gain insights in the context of large amount individuals. Considering the more and more important role of the online social media in daily communications, we argue that the footprint of massive individuals, like tweets in Weibo, can be the inspiring proxy to infer the personality and further understand its functions in shaping the online human behavior. In this study, a map from self-reports of personalities to online profiles of 293 active users in Weibo is established to train a competent machine learning model, which then successfully identifies over 7,000 users as extroverts or introverts. Systematical comparisons from perspectives of tempo-spatial patterns, online activities, emotion expressions and attitudes to virtual honor surprisingly disclose that the extrovert indeed behaves differently from the introvert in Weibo. Our findings provide solid evidence to justify the methodology of employing machine learning to objectively study personalities of massive individuals and shed lights on applications of probing personalities and corresponding behaviors solely through online profiles.Comment: Datasets of this study can be freely downloaded through: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4765150.v

Relationship between Narcissism and Selfie Posting Behavior; Mediating Role of Loneliness and Self-esteem among Adolescents

Narcissism is characterized by an abnormally high sense of self-importance that leads to different mental health issues. The current study was aimed at observing the mediating role of loneliness and self-esteem between narcissism and selfie-posting behavior among adolescents. To examine the psychometric properties of scales, a sample of 300 students was collected and further divided into two groups of male (n = 193) and female (n = 107) participants by using a convenient sampling strategy. The age range of participants was from 18 to 35 years old. Urdu-translated versions of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory by Raskin and Hall (1988), the Selfitis Scale by Amna Amjad (2017), the UCLA Loneliness Scale by Russell, Peplau, and Cutrona (1980), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale by Rosenberg (1965) were used to analyze the constructs of this study. The findings of the current study show a significant relationship between variables such as narcissism that is positively correlated with selfie-posting behavior, loneliness, and self-esteem. Regression analysis revealed that narcissism significantly predicts selfie-posting behavior. Mediation analysis shows the significant mediation of loneliness between narcissism and selfie-posting behavior. Mediation results are non-significant in the case of self-esteem. The implications of the current study suggest the need for interventions to deal with loneliness and alleviate the potentially detrimental effects of narcissism on the behaviors associated with selfie posting. These interventions may encourage healthy online behaviors among adolescents by encouraging social bonds and lowering loneliness. Further limitations of the study are discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided

Who Posts Selfies and Why?: Personality, Attachment Style, and Mentalization as Predictors of Selfie Posting on Social Media

This study examines the phenomenon of selfie posting on social media and its relationship to narcissism, the Dark Triad, impulsivity, attachment style, rejection sensitivity, and reflective functioning. The sample was made up of 499 participants who completed an online survey consisting of personality measures and open- and closed-ended questions about selfie posting behavior. Data were analyzed using a negative binomial regression model. Results: The study found that individuals with high levels of the Dark Triad trait of psychopathy post more selfies on social media than do individuals with low levels of the trait. The Dark Triad trait of narcissism was also found to be significantly related to selfie posting, with narcissistic men posting significantly more selfies than narcissistic women. Furthermore, the study found that individuals with high levels of motor and non-planning impulsivity posted significantly more selfies than individuals with lower levels of those traits. This study also found a (marginally non-significant) trend whereby vulnerable narcissism and anxious attachment were predictive of increased selfie posting. Participants with higher levels of reflective functioning were found to post fewer selfies on social media, as were individuals high in rejection sensitivity. Grandiose narcissism, subclinical narcissism, avoidant attachment, and attentional impulsivity were not found to be significantly related to increased selfie posting on social media. Open-ended questions revealed some interesting anecdotal material about possible motivations for posting selfies on social media. In sum, the study’s findings shed light on a number of traits that are predictive of selfie posting on social media. Clinical implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed

Effect of Selfie, Social Network Sites Usa ge, Number of Photos Shared on Social Network Sites on Happiness among University Students: A Model Testing

This study aimed to explore the relationship between university students’ happiness levels and their daily number of selfies, daily duration of social networking sites (SNS) usage and daily number of photos shared on SNS. The study was carried out with 360 university students attending Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University in Turkey.  At the end of the statistical procedures, a model was achieved to include variables of happiness and daily number of selfies, daily duration of SNS usage and daily number of photos shared on social networks. It was understood from the model that daily number of selfies and daily duration of SNS usage predicted daily number of photos shared on social networks positively and significantly but did not predict happiness directly. In addition to this result, it is seen that daily number of selfies and daily duration of SNS usage has an indirect impact on happiness through daily number of photos shared on social networks. It can be said that the achieved Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) has good fit index values (X2=3.76, sd=2, X2/df=1.88, P=.15, RMSEA=0.050, NFI=0.97, CFI=0.99, GFI=0.99, AGFI=0.97, SRMR=0.032). Keywords: Social network sites, selfies, photo sharing, happiness, structural equation modellin

Selfitis behavior: assessing the Italian version of the Selfitis Behavior Scale and its mediating role in the relationship of dark traits with social media addiction

Research on selfie-related behavior has recently flourished. The present study expands theoretical and empirical work on phenomenon by assessing the psychometric properties of the Selfitis Behavior Scale among an Italian sample and by examining its unexplored mediating role in the relationships between dark triad traits and social media addiction. A total of 490 participants (53.1% females) completed a self-report survey including socio-demographics, the Selfitis Behavior Scale (SBS), the Short Dark Triad Scale (SD3), and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). Results showed the SBS had a five-factor structure with good psychometrics properties in terms of reliability coefficients and measurement invariance across gender. In addition, findings from the path model supported the mediating role of selfitis behavior in the relationships of narcissism and psychopathy with social media addiction. Machiavellianism was found to be unrelated to selfitis behavior and social media addiction. The model shed light into the previous inconsistent findings on the associations between dark triad traits and social media addiction by taking into account the key role of selfitis behavior as an underlying mechanism. The findings may explain individual differences in personality traits associated with co-dependence (i.e., the combination of the dependence on self and others and social media addiction)

Social Media’s Effect on Mental Health: How America’s Youth are More Vulnerable to its Negative Implications

This article explores the potentially negative psychological effects social media photo-sharing platforms have on America’s adolescents. While most studies on mental health effects related to social media use have focused on Facebook and the young adult age group 18-35, this article focuses on users under the age of 18 with an emphasis on Instagram and Snapchat – the two most rapidly growing social networking sites for adolescents. Photo-sharing sites have characteristics different than other social media sites, specifically the ability to alter photos and to communicate live time through videos and photos, which may have different mental health consequences on younger populations. Through a review of previous academic research, and a survey administered to a sample population under the age of 18, this article analyzes how social comparisons, a need for external validation, and a fear of missing out and exclusion may affect adolescents more than older adults due to the fact that they are in a critical developmental period where self-esteem and self-worth can be particularly influenced by peers and social media. While some argue that social media, including photo-sharing sites, may allow adolescents more social contact, opportunities for self-esteem building, and a chance for those who are shy or with low self-esteem to experiment in a safer environment than face to face contact, this article shows that the opposite is also true: that excessive use of photo-sharing sites may lead to negative mental health consequences due to social comparisons, a fear of missing out, and an unhealthy desire to attain external validation from peers. The article also suggests that adolescents with deceptive personalities, Machiavellian personalities, and high social desirability needs may be more vulnerable to some of the risks of social media use, and that identifying at-risk individuals may allow teachers, counselors, and parents to help them navigate their social media world during an influential time in their lives

To What Extent Does Personality Influence the Use of Facebook – A Case from Turkey

The relationship between the personality and the use of Facebook to satisfy the needs of belonging and self-presentation are examined in the current study. 214 university students completed the Big Five personality traits questionnaire and a survey assessing personality and Facebook behaviors and motivations. Belongingness-related behaviors and motivations were predicted best by high agreeableness and neuroticism . Extraversion was associated with more frequent use of Facebook to communicate with others. Low conscientiousness and high neuroticism predicted best by self-presentational behaviors and motivations. Results suggested that conscientious individuals were cautious in their online self-presentation. Neuroticism, agreeableness, and extraversion were positively associated with the tendency to express one’s actual self. Neuroticism was positively associated with the expression of ideal and hidden self-aspects. The motivation to express these self-aspects mediated the relationship between neuroticism and self-disclosure. Keywords: Social networking site, Facebook, the Big Five, Need to belong, Need for self-presentatio

Show your best self(ie):An exploratory study on selfie-related motivations and behavior in emerging adulthood

Although self-presentation has been studied for decades, social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook have produced novel opportunities for visual online self-presentation. Posting selfies is currently a popular mode of consciously constructing visual online self-presentations, yet most prior research is limited to selfie-posting alone. This study aimed to profile selfie-makers’ motivations and behavior, and examine the extent to which underlying mechanisms preceding selfie-posting are interconnected. Results of a survey (N = 224; 79.9% females; Mage = 21.66, SDage = 2.08) regarding selfie-behavior on SNS (e.g., Facebook and Instagram) characterized selfie-makers in emerging adulthood as mainly concerned with the social aspects of selfies. Entertainment and moment-retention were identified as main motivations for selfie-making. Findings supported the proposed Selfie-Stadium Model, representing various steps of selfie-taking and underlying motives as well as selection and editing before actual posting. This study on profiling selfie-makers and their self-presentation taps into a fairly new media use research domain