Social Media Usage and Its Relationship to Personality

Abstract

Today, about 3.03 billion people are active social media users, with the most popular platforms being Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest. Over half of all past social media studies have focused exclusively on Facebook, however, it’s necessary to evaluate any differential influences of newer platforms. The current study explores why young adults use Instagram and Snapchat and measures how account statistics, attitudes, and usage of these two platforms, correlate with personality. Results showed that users have more Instagram followers but use Snapchat more frequently, and most use these platforms to gain knowledge about others. Introverted individuals socially profited more from social media usage by interacting with others and posting content more frequently, thereby displaying a social compensation effect.