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Understanding Social Media Addiction

This document provides a review of the literature on social media addiction. It discusses how social media addiction is defined and some of the theories that have been used to explain why people are drawn to social media platforms, such as the social identity model of deindividuation effects. The document also summarizes several studies that have examined factors correlated with social media addiction, such as personality traits, family relationships, peer influence, and gender.

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Cj KO
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7 views3 pages

Understanding Social Media Addiction

This document provides a review of the literature on social media addiction. It discusses how social media addiction is defined and some of the theories that have been used to explain why people are drawn to social media platforms, such as the social identity model of deindividuation effects. The document also summarizes several studies that have examined factors correlated with social media addiction, such as personality traits, family relationships, peer influence, and gender.

Uploaded by

Cj KO
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE

INTRODUCTION

Social media addiction is defined by some experts as problematic social media use or social media

overuse is a proposed diagnosis related to overuse of social media, similar to online gaming, and

other forms of digital media overuse. Social media is increasingly being used for communicating,

learning, and collaborating, and for a small minority has become a potential problematic,

compulsive, and/or addictive habit ( Kuss & Griffiths). In the study of Griffiths(1999), he noted

that many years ago that online addictions are primarily about addictions on the Internet rather than

addiction to the Internet, and that most of those with online problematic behavior are addicted to

the online content rather than the Internet itself (e.g., gambling, gaming, sex, shopping, social

networking, etc.). Of the various types of social media sites, online video-sharing applications have

been shown to have the highest interactive level (Khan, 2017). Some had said that there is no official

medical recognition on social media addiction as a disease, the negative habit of excessive use of

social media has become a subject of much discussion and research.

At Harvard University, researchers have performed MRI scan on people’s brains to see what

happened when they talk about themselves, which is an essential part of what most people do in

social media. The result showed that self-disclosure communication creates pleasure in the brain. In

conclusion, it makes people happy and high when they talk and think about themselves. Some

researchers agreed that social media addiction is similar to cell phone and internet addiction

disorder. These types of disorders are not new and people have started talking about it since decades

ago. There is no direct conclusion in determining if someone is a social media addict, however,
many physicians have observed similar symptoms such as depression, anxiety, psychological

disorders, and more are the proofs of social media addiction.

Theoretical framework

Social identity of deindividuation theory( Reicher, Spears, and Postmes, 1995) is one of the models

to help explain social media behavior and why people are drawn to these online networking

platforms is the social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE model). Created utilizing

social and psychology and communication studies frameworks, this model explains how the

behavior of groups changes when cloaked by anonymity. It is also often associated with computer-

mediated communication, making it easily applicable to platforms like social media. Although most

social media platforms allow the creation of a customized profile, no regulations exist about if these

profiles are truthful or even based on real people. While most users seem to prefer to add their

name, picture and personal information to their profiles in order to interact with people they know

in real life, it is not required that they do so. Also, due to privacy practices, it may be hard for social

media moderators to even regulate these types of profiles. Other forms of social media, such as

message boards, often do not require the creation. The theory focuses on why people usually be

involved in social media Anonymous postings reported a notable amount of offensive or

inflammatory posts (Black, Mezzina & Thompson, 2016). There is an active media-consuming

audience, the media platforms are competitive and people are self-aware of their usage and interests.

(West & Turner, 2007). According to Wimmer and Dominick (1994), in between 1950 to 1960,

many researches began identifying social and psychological factors that resulted in different patterns

of media consumption and gratification. In the study of Chou, Condron, and Belland (2005) few

studies found that there is a relationship between internet addiction and users’ social-psychological
or personality variables, such as sensation seeking, pleasure experiences, use-and-gratification,

loneliness, and depression. Besides that, there are also few significant factors which associated with

the internet addiction such as, drinking behavior, dissatisfaction with family, and experiences of

stressful event (Lam, Peng, Mai, & Jing, 2009). Researchers in the Philippines had found out that

most of the Filipinos use social media excessively started at year 2014 until this current year. Most of

the social media users are more likely use social media due to influence of their peers in the study of

Thomas (2011), adolescent normally do not make decision in a vacuum, rather they are highly

influenced by the environment around them, especially within the social context (such as parent and

peer). The parent is one of the great influence factors in the issue, but because of the over discipline

as cited in Eijnden, Spijkerman, Vermulst, Rooij, and Engels (2009), Liu and Kuo (2007) mentioned

about the quality of the parents-child relationship was negatively associated with the level of internet

addiction among students. Moreover, in the same research pointed out that parent-adolescent

conflict and lower satisfaction with family functioning we positively related to adolescent internet

addiction ( Yen et al, 2007, Ko et al & Yen et al, 2007 as cited in Eijnden, Spijkerman, Vermulst,

Rooij & Engels, 2009). Besides family support, adolescent seek support from their friends in order

to satisfy unmet needs in the family environment (Nickerson & Nagle, 2005) and friendship are an

extension of family relationships (Bowlby,1969; Wilkinson, 2004) (as cited in Patrick, 2010). Peer

group provide appropriate socials roles, norms, values, and attitude for group member, such social

role determine what pattern of behaviour is expected and in this case, influence the behaviour of the

adolescent (Lombardi, 1963). In terms of the gender, males are more subject to internet addiction,

example like, according to Morahan-Martin and Schumacker (2000), males were more likely than

females to be pathological users (which is 12% vs 3%), whereas females were more likely than males

to have no symptoms (28% vs. 26%) or have limited symptoms (69% vs. 61%) of behavioural

pathology (as cited in Chou, Condron, & Belland, 2005).

Common questions

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The implications of the SIDE model for managing anonymity on social media platforms include the need for careful consideration of user anonymity's role in facilitating undesirable behaviors, such as trolling and cyberbullying . The model suggests that while anonymity can aid free expression, it can also reduce social accountability, leading to negative group behaviors . Social media platforms might need to implement balanced measures that allow for privacy while curbing harmful behaviors, such as developing more robust moderation tools and community guidelines to manage content and interactions effectively .

The theories discussed explain social media addiction by highlighting the psychological gratification and social dynamics involved. The Social Identity of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE) model explains how anonymity can lead to compulsive and problematic behaviors online . Additionally, the pleasure derived from self-disclosure, which activates brain pleasure centers, plays a role in maintaining addictive usage . The use-and-gratification theory also provides insight into how personal needs for sensation and social connection drive people to use social media repeatedly, thereby fostering addictive tendencies .

According to the SIDE model, anonymity on social media platforms contributes to user behavior by allowing individuals to act without accountability, which often leads to increased occurrences of offensive or inflammatory posts . The model suggests that when users' identities are hidden, they feel less constrained by social norms, enabling behaviors that might not occur in face-to-face interactions . This change in behavior is attributed to group dynamics influenced by deindividuation, where anonymity leads to a change in how individuals perceive their social identity within the group .

The Social Identity of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE) model applies to social media behavior by explaining how group behavior changes when anonymity is present. The model suggests that anonymity in computer-mediated communication, like social media, can lead to behavior that might not be exhibited if the identity were known, such as offensive or inflammatory postings . This model involves factors from social psychology and communication studies, highlighting how individuals may behave differently in online environments compared to face-to-face interactions due to decreased accountability .

The studies cite several psychological and social factors influencing internet addiction. These factors include social-psychological or personality variables such as sensation seeking, pleasure experiences, use-and-gratification, loneliness, and depression . Additionally, drinking behavior, dissatisfaction with family, and experiencing stressful events are also significant contributors . The studies further highlight the influence of peers and family, with adolescents being particularly susceptible due to peer pressure and family dynamics such as over-discipline or conflicts within the family .

In the Philippines, social media usage has been observed to be excessive starting from the year 2014. The primary influence identified for this behavior is peer pressure, with adolescents particularly susceptible, influenced by their social environment and the behaviors of those around them . This suggests that the social context, including both friends and family influences, plays a significant role in the pattern of media consumption among Filipinos .

The findings on gender differences in internet addiction reveal that males are more likely than females to exhibit pathological usage patterns. Specifically, the study by Morahan-Martin and Schumacker (2000) noted that 12% of males were pathological users compared to 3% of females. Conversely, females were more likely to have no symptoms or only limited symptoms of internet addiction, illustrating a significant gender disparity in pathological use .

Researchers explain that the pleasure derived from using social media is linked to self-disclosure communication, which activates pleasure centers in the brain. This phenomenon is similar to the feelings experienced when people talk about themselves, leading to happiness and a sense of 'high,' as observed in MRI brain scans conducted at Harvard University .

Peers and family play significant roles in influencing social media and internet addiction. Peer influence is strong among adolescents, who do not make decisions in isolation but are highly influenced by their social environment, including friends and peers . The quality of the parent-child relationship is another crucial factor, with over-discipline and family conflicts contributing to internet addiction . Adolescents often seek support from peers to satisfy unmet familial needs, indicating that both positive and negative familial interactions can significantly impact addiction tendencies .

Social media addiction and internet addiction disorder share similarities, such as being considered forms of digital media overuse or problematic use, akin to online gaming . Both are not officially recognized as medical diagnoses but exhibit symptoms of psychological disorders like depression and anxiety, which are indicative of addictive behavior . They are driven by content addiction rather than the medium itself, as suggested by Griffiths, where individuals are more addicted to online content such as gambling, video gaming, and social networking rather than the internet or social media per se .

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