The relationships between behavioral addictions and the five-factor model of personality

Abstract

Aims: Although relationships between addiction and personality have previously been explored, no study has ever simultaneously investigated the interrelationships between several behavioral addictions, and related these to the main dimensions of the five-factor model of personality. Methods: In this study, 218 university students completed questionnaires assessing seven different behavioral addictions (i.e., Facebook addiction, video game addiction, Internet addiction, exercise addiction, mobile phone addiction, compulsive buying, and study addiction) as well as an instrument assessing the main dimensions of the five-factor model of personality. Results: Of the 21 bivariate intercorrelations between the seven behavioral addictions, all were positive (and nine significantly). The results also showed that (i) Neuroticism was positively associated with Internet addiction, exercise addiction, compulsive buying, and study addiction, (ii) Extroversion was positively associated with Facebook addiction, exercise addiction, mobile phone addiction, and compulsive buying, (iii) Openness to experience was negatively associated with Facebook addiction and mobile phone addiction, (iv) Agreeableness was negatively associated with Internet addiction, exercise addiction, mobile phone addiction, and compulsive buying, and (v) Conscientiousness was negatively associated with Facebook addiction, video game addiction, Internet addiction, and compulsive buying and positively associated with exercise addiction and study addiction. Conclusions: The positive associations between the seven behavioral addictions suggest one or several underlying pathological factors. Hierarchical multiple regressions showed that personality traits explained between 6% and 17% of the variance in the seven behavioral addictions, suggesting that personality to a varying degree explains scores on measures of addictive behaviors.

Problematic Online Behaviors among Adolescents and Emerging Adults: Associations between Cyberbullying Perpetration, Problematic Social Media Use, and Psychosocial Factors

“…These results are consistent with previous studies (e.g., Andreassen et al 2017;Festl and Quandt 2013;Kırcaburun and Tosuntaş 2017;Kokkinos et al 2014;Slonje et al 2012). Andreassen et al (2013) reported that females demonstrated higher addictive behaviors among activities including social interactions. Randler et al (2016) reported that females were more addicted to smartphones than males.…”

Adolescent personality profile and internet addiction

“…If these persons develop Internet addiction, it is usually accompanied with aggression. Other authors reported negative correlation between Internet addiction and agreeableness [40] [42] [43] [44]. Our results showed no significant association between morality/agreeableness and Internet addiction.…”

Attitudes toward gambling among adolescents

“…Thosew ho scored lowero n Agreeableness held more favourable attitudest oward gambling.T he finding is in line with aprevious study showing that Agreeableness was negatively associated with several behavioural addictions. It can be hypothesized that thisfi nding reflects an avoidance of behavioursthat may cause stress/conflicts in interpersonal relationships (Andreassen et al, 2013). With respect to social variables, previous researchh as demonstrated that the association between family gambling history and adolescents' attitudes towardgambling depended on whether family members experienced problems related to their gambling (Orford et al, 2009).…”