Motives for using social networks and social network addiction in a time of pandemic

Bibliographic Data

ID19538100
AuthorsEsther Cuadrado (0000-0002-9903-0052, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba), Carmen Tabernero (0000-0003-4338-7367, Universidad de Salamanca), Rosario Castillo-Mayen, Rosario Castillo‐Mayén (0000-0001-8599-2368, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba), Bárbara Luque (0000-0001-6858-9892, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba), Eva Moreno-Bella (0000-0002-1299-3148, University of Córdoba)
Year2022
Volume16
Issue5
Publication date2022-11-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCyberpsychology Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1802-7962 • E-ISSN: 1802-7962
PublisherMasaryk University Press (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.5817/cp2022-5-3
OpenAlexW4310258742
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited80

The lockdown situation caused by COVID-19 has increased the use of social networks, which could, in turn, increase social networks addiction. This research consists of two integrated studies aimed at (1) developing and validating the Social Networks Motives Scale (SN-MotiveS) and (2) examining the relationships between the frequency of use of social networks and the motives for why individuals use social networks with social networks addiction, as well as the evolution of these variables over time before (through a retrospective assessment), during, and after lockdown. During lockdown, an online questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 482 participants (Study 1). After lockdown, 114 participants from Study 1 completed a second online questionnaire, forming a longitudinal study (Study 2). Study 1 showed a robust fit for the multifactorial structure of the SN-MotiveS with four factors (socialization, escapism, prosocial behavior, and self-presentation), supporting the external validity of the scale, and the expected correlation patterns were found with social networks frequency of use, abuse, and addiction. Study 2 showed that all the motives increased during lockdown except for self-presentation, whereas after lockdown only prosocial behavior and employment (added in Study 2) decreased significantly. Moreover, the self-presentation and escapism motives acted as mediators in the relationship between social networks frequency of use and social networks addiction. This research provides a reliable instrument to measure the motives for using social networks both during a pandemic and in normal times. In addition, it highlights the importance of paying special attention to escapism motives for predicting social networks addiction in periods of lockdown

Addiction · Developmental psychology · Escapism · Political science · Prosocial behavior · Psychiatry · Social media · Socialization · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology