Relations of Social Media Addiction with Impulsivity, Narcissism and Assertiveness in Belarusian and Ukrainian University Students

Cover Page

Cite item

Full Text

Abstract

Social media addiction (SMA) is one of the most widespread non-medical addictions. Previous research has found positive associations between SMA and depression, anxiety, stress, and other symptoms and signs of mental ill-being. The purpose of this study is to identify and compare the associations with specific manifestations of psychological distress (e.g., impulsivity, narcissism, vulnerability to manipulation, low assertiveness, smartphone addiction and its factors) in groups of Belarusian and Ukrainian university students. The study was conducted using the following diagnostic tools: SMA-15 Questionnaire by V.P. Sheinov & A.S. Dziavitsyn; a short version of the SAS-16 questionnaire Smartphone Addiction Scale by V.P. Sheinov; Assessment of the Degree of Vulnerability of an Individual from Manipulative Influences by V.P. Sheinov; Questionnaire for Diagnosing the Potential of Communicative Impulsivity by V.A. Losenkov; and Narcissistic Questionnaire by E. Kot. The sample consisted of 604 university students, including 403 residents of Belarus (77% females) and 201 residents of Ukraine (53% females). The mean age of the participants was 21.5 years (SD = 5.17). The results of the study revealed: (1) positive associations of SMA with impulsivity, smartphone addiction and its factors (‘loss of control,’ ‘fear of rejection’ and user’s ‘euphoria’), common for the Belarusian and Ukrainian students; (2) positive associations of SMA with narcissism for the Belarusian male and female students as well as for the Ukrainian male students; and (3) a negative association of SMA with assertiveness for the Ukrainian male and female students and for the Belarusian female students (for the latter, a negative association with vulnerability to manipulation was also found). In practical terms, the revealed associations between SMA and a number of symptoms and signs of psychological distress provide material for explanatory work with students about the dangers of excessive involvement in social media.

About the authors

Viktor P. Sheinov

Republican Institute of Higher Education

Author for correspondence.
Email: sheinov1@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2191-646X

Doctor of Sociology, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, Professor of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogical Skills

15 Moskovskaya St, Minsk, 220001, Republic of Belarus

Anton S. Dziavitsyn

Belarusian State University

Email: devitsin@gmail.com
Senior Lecturer, Department of Web Technology and Computer Modeling 4 Prospekt Nezavisimosti, Minsk, 220030, Republic of Belarus

References

  1. Andreassen, C.S., Pallesen, S., & Griffiths, M.D. (2017). The relationship between addictive use of social media, narcissism, and self-esteem: Findings from a large national survey. Addictive Behaviors, 64, 287−293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.03.006
  2. Babaeva, J.D., Voiskounsky, A.E., & Smyslova, O.V. (2000). Internet: The impact on personality. In A.E. Voiskounsky (Ed.), Research on the Internet: Humanitarian and Social Aspects (pp. 11–39). Moscow: Mozhaisk-Terra Publ. (In Russ.)
  3. Bogdan, M.S. (2014). Psychological features of communication in addicts on social networks. Psychology and Sociology: Problems of Practical Application (pp. 25–29). Kherson: Helvetica Publ. (In Ukr.)
  4. Casale, S., & Banchi, V. (2020). Narcissism and problematic social media use: A systematic literature review. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 11, 100252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100252
  5. Choi, Y. (2018). Narcissism and social media addiction in workplace. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 5(2), 95–104. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2018.vol5.no2.95
  6. Chung, K.L., Morshidi, I., Yoong, L.C., & Thian, K.N. (2019). The role of the dark tetrad and impulsivity in social media addiction: Findings from Malaysia. Personality and Individual Differences, 143, 62−67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.02.016
  7. Danko, Yu.A. (2012). Social networks as a form of modern communication: Pros and cons. Suchasne Suspіl'stvo: Polіtichnі Nauki, Sotsіologіchnі Nauki, Kul'turologіchnі Nauki, (2), 179–184. (In Ukr.)
  8. Drepa, M.I. (2010). Psychological prevention of Internet addiction in students (Ph.D. in Psychology thesis abstract). Pyatigorsk: Pyatigorsk State Linguistic University. (In Russ.)
  9. Fetiskin, N.P., Kozlov, V.V., & Manuilov, G.M. (2002). Socio-psychological diagnostics of personality and small groups development. Moscow: Institute of Psychiatry Publ. (In Russ.)
  10. Franckevich, E.T. (2014). Psychological distress as factor for safety of educational environment. NB: Psikhologiya i Psikhotekhnika, (1), 125−174. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.7256/2306-0425.2014.1.11490
  11. Grogoleva, O.Yu., & Dronova, A.A. (2016). The typology of the person of teenagers who are prone to communication in social networks. Activity and Responsibility of the Personality in the Context of Life Activity: Conference Proceedings (pp. 93–95). Omsk: Omsk State University. (In Russ.)
  12. Gu, H.J., Lee, O.S., & Hong, M.J. (2016). The relationship between SNS addiction tendency, self-assertiveness, interpersonal problems and in college students. Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial Cooperation Society, 17(4), 180−187. https://doi.org/10.5762/KAIS.2016.17.4.180
  13. Gulevich, O.A. (2008). Psychology of communication. Moscow: Moscow Psychological and Social Institute. (In Russ.)
  14. Hawk, S.T., Van den Eijnden, R.J.JM., Van Lissa, C.J, & Ter Bogt, T.F.M. (2019). Narcissistic adolescents’ attention-seeking following social rejection: Links with social media disclosure, problematic social media use, and smartphone stress. Computers in Human Behavior, 92, 65–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.10.032
  15. Hudimova, A.Kh. (2021). Psychological well-being and social media users’ behavioral online patterns in everyday life and during COVID-19 pandemic. Insight: The Psychological Dimensions of Society, (5), 133–147. https://doi.org/10.32999/2663-970X/2021-5-9
  16. Kashif, M., Ur-Rehman, A., & Javed, M.K. (2020). Social media addiction due to coronavirus. International Journal of Medical Science in Clinical Research and Review, 3(4), 331–336.
  17. Kondrateva, L.E., & Doveiko, A.B. (2021). Internet communication “generation Z” as a basic part of communication of the younger generation in modern society. XI Ryazan Sociological Readings: Development of the Territory in the Face of Modern Challenges: Conference Proceedings (pp. 305–313). Moscow: Izd-vo Ippolitova Publ. (In Russ.)
  18. Lapidus, L.V., Gostilovich, A.O., & Omarova, Sh.A. (2020). Features of digital technologies penetration into generation Z life: Values, behavioral patterns and consumer habits of the internet generation. Public Administration. E-Journal (Russia), (83), 271–293. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24411/2070-1381-2020-10119
  19. Medvedskaya, E.I., Onufriieva, L.A., & Tavrovetska, N.I. (2020). The semantic space of the personality of adult active web-users. Insight: The Psychological Dimensions of Society, (4), 42–56. https://doi.org/10.32999/2663-970X/2020-4-3
  20. Milova, E.A. (2012). Social network effect on personality psychology. Interexpo GEO-Siberia, 1(6), 81–83. (In Russ.).
  21. O’Sullivan, A., & Hussain, Z. (2017). An exploratory study of Facebook intensity and its links to narcissism, stress, and self-esteem. Journal of Addictive Behaviors, Therapy & Rehabilitation, 6(1). http://doi.org/10.4172/2324-9005.1000161
  22. Romanuk, O.V. (2015). Networking narcissism as important resource within contemporary political technologies. Vіsnik NADU, (4), 100–106. (In Ukr.)
  23. Rozanov, V.A., & Rakhimkulova, A.S. (2017). Social networks and their influence on the psychological well-being of the individual. In V.A. Rozanov (Ed.), Psychological Wellbeing and Psychosocial Stress (pp. 185–206). Odessa: Phoenix Publ. (In Russ.)
  24. Savci, M., & Aysan, F. (2016). Relationship between impulsivity, social media usage and loneliness. Educational Process: International Journal, 5(2), 106−115. http://doi.org/10.12973/edupij.2016.52.2
  25. Seryj, A.V., & Parshinceva, A.S. (2016). On the problem of formation of dependence on social networks in adolescent schoolchildren. Problemy Pedagogiki, (9), 12–15. (In Russ.)
  26. Sheinov, V.P. (2012). The questionnaire for the evaluation of nonprotectedness from manipulative influences. Voprosy Psychologii, (4), 147–153. (In Russ.)
  27. Sheinov, V.P. (2014). On development of an assertiveness test answering requirements of reliability and validity. Voprosy Psychologii, (2), 107−116. (In Russ.)
  28. Sheinov, V.P. (2021a). Social media addiction and personality: a review of research. RUDN Journal of Psychology and Pedagogics, 18(3), 607–630. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-1683-2021-18-3-607-630
  29. Sheinov, V.P. (2021b). Short version of the questionnaire “Scale of Dependence on the Smartphone.” Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Organizational Psychology and Psychology of Work, 6(1), 97–115. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.7256/2306-0425.2014.1.11490
  30. Sheinov, V.P., & Devitsyn, A.S. (2021a). The development of a reliable and valid social media dependence questionnaire. Systems Psychology and Sociology, (2), 41–55. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.25688/2223-6872.2021.38.2.04
  31. Sheinov, V.P., & Devitsyn, A.S. (2021c). Factor structure of smartphone dependency model. Institute of psychology Russian Academy of Sciences. Social and economic psychology, 6(3), 174–197. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.38098/ipran.sep_2021_23_3_07
  32. Sheinov, V.P., & Dziavitsyn, A.S. (2021b). A three-factor model of social media addiction. Russian Psychological Journal, 18(3), 145–158. https://doi.org/10.21702/rpj.2021.3.10
  33. Shejnov, V.P., Blinova, E.E., & Devicyn, A.S. (2021). Smartphone addiction: Connections and properties in Belarusian and Ukrainian societies. Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Organizational Psychology and Psychology of Work, 6(4), 4–32. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.38098/ipran.opwp_2021_21_4_001
  34. Shejnov, V.P., Tavrovetskaya, N.I., & Dziavitsyn, A.S. (2021). Addiction of personality to social networks in Belarusian and Ukrainian societies. Vestsі BDPU. Seryya 1. Pedagogіka. Psіkhalogіya. Fіlalogіya, (3), 46–54. (In Russ.)
  35. Shin, M., Lee, J., Chyung, Y.J., Kim, P.W., & Jung, S.Y. (2016). Integrating psychosocial and cognitive predictors of social networking service addiction tendency using structural equation modeling. Psychologia, 59(4), 182–201. https://doi.org/10.2117/psysoc.2016.182
  36. Sindermann, C., Elhai, J.D., & Montag, C. (2020). Predicting tendencies towards the disordered use of Facebook’s social media platforms: On the role of personality, impulsivity, and social anxiety. Psychiatry Research, 285, 112793. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112793
  37. Soldatova, G.U., & Teslavskaya, O.I. (2018). Interpersonal relations of Russian adolescents in social networks. National Psychological Journal, (3), 12–22. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.11621/npj.2018.0302
  38. Voiskounsky, A.E. (2014). Social perception while social networking. Moscow University Psychology Bulletin, (2), 90–104. (In Russ.)
  39. Zaretskaya, O.V. (2017). Computer and Internet addiction: Analysis and classification of approaches. Psychological-Educational Studies, 9(2), 145–165. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17759/psyedu.2017090213
  40. Zotova, D.V., & Rozanov, V.A. (2020). Pathological use and dependence on social networks – analysis from the position of phenomenology of addictive behavior. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Psychology, 10(2), 158–183. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu16.2020.204

Copyright (c) 2022 Sheinov V.P., Dziavitsyn A.S.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This website uses cookies

You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website.

About Cookies