Personality Traits and Problematic use of Technology among Young Adults

Abstract

Technology and social media have become an inseparable part of life among youth in this millennium. The present study examined the role of personality as a predictor of problematic use of technology using a sample of 200 young adults in the age group 18 to 23 years. Problematic use of technology was defined in terms of problematic and risky use of internet and problematic use of mobile phone. The participants completed HEXACO personality inventory, problematic use of mobile phones scale, and problematic and risky internet use screening scale. One-way ANOVA and multiple regression were used to analyse the data. The key finding of the study is that gender, place of residence, and personality factors predict problematic internet and mobile use. Males were higher than females on problematic internet and mobile use. Being male, and personality traits emotionality and conscientiousness positively predicted problematic mobile use. Living in urban area negatively predicted problematic mobile use. Being a male, personality traits, namely, honesty-humility, extraversion negatively predicted problematic internet use and openness to experience positively predicted problematic internet use. The findings have implications for designing preventive interventions to control the problematic use of technology among young adults.