Linking Internet Communication and Smartphone Use Disorder by taking a closer look at the Facebook and WhatsApp applications

Peng Sha; Rayna Sariyska; René Riedl; Bernd Lachmann; Christian Montag

Addictive Behaviors Reports (Jun 2019)

Linking Internet Communication and Smartphone Use Disorder by taking a closer look at the Facebook and WhatsApp applications

Peng Sha,
Rayna Sariyska,
René Riedl,
Bernd Lachmann,
Christian Montag

Affiliations

Peng Sha: School of Journalism and Communication, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
Rayna Sariyska: Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
René Riedl: School of Management, Digital Business Management, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Steyr, Austria; Department of Business Informatics-Information Engineering, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria
Bernd Lachmann: Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
Christian Montag: Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany; The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China; Corresponding author at: Department of Molecular Psychology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstr. 8/1, 89081 Ulm, Germany.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9

Abstract

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Introduction: Smartphones are ubiquitous in the digital society. Although this powerful device is useful because it supports and simplifies many tasks in everyday life, a growing number of researchers is concerned that smartphones might have detrimental effects on the human brain and related psychological processes. Evidence indicates that social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook are essential drivers of smartphone usage. Thus, a critical, yet unexplored issue is how excessive use of those platforms is related to Smartphone Use Disorder (SUD). Furthermore, since the roles of life satisfaction and fear of missing out (FoMo) have been demonstrated to be of particular importance for Internet Use and Internet Communication Disorder, those constructs were examined in the context of SUD. Methods: In total, n = 2299 participants filled in questionnaires assessing SUD, WhatsApp and Facebook Use Disorder, FoMO, life satisfaction, and reported owning a WhatsApp and Facebook account. Results: The study revealed that SUD was linked to WhatsApp Use Disorder, and to a lesser extent, to Facebook Use Disorder. Associations between SUD and WhatsApp Use Disorder were most strongly pronounced in females. Additionally, FoMo predicted SUD, WhatsApp, Facebook Use Disorder, and (fully) mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and those variables. Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggest that WhatsApp use plays an important role to understand SUD. Regarding the mediating role of FoMO, the present work might help disentangle inconsistent results on the link between life satisfaction and (excessive) social networking sites use. Keywords: Smartphone Use Disorder, Internet Communication Disorder, WhatsApp, Facebook, FoMo, Life satisfaction

Published in Addictive Behaviors Reports

ISSN: 2352-8532 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Philosophy. Psychology. Religion: Psychology; Social Sciences: Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/addictive-behaviors-reports

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