Personality Traits and Facebook Use: The Combined/Interactive Effect of Extraversion, Neuroticism and Conscientiousness

Louise La Sala^*, Jason Skues, Sharon Grant

Department of Psychological Sciences and Statistics, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.

DOI: 10.4236/sn.2014.35026                

Abstract

This study examined the influence of Big Five personality traits on Facebook usage and examined the interactions of traits in this context based on Torgersen’s (1995) typological approach. The effect of self-esteem, narcissism, loneliness, shyness and boredom proneness on Facebook usage was also investigated. The sample included both student (N = 190) and (N = 184) non-student samples. Narcissism was the strongest predictor of time spent on Facebook per day for both students and non-students. Narcissism was also the strongest predictor of number of daily logins for non-students, however, agreeableness was the strongest predictor of logins for students. Extraversion was the strongest predictor of number of Facebook friends for both students and non- students, however the interaction of Extraversion and Neuroticism was also a predictor of Facebook friends for students, and the interaction of Extraversion and Conscientiousness for non-students. Future research should consider the combined effect of personality traits on overall Facebook use.

Keywords

Facebook, Personality, Five Factor Model, Psychological Characteristics, Narcissism, Boredom Proneness

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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