Prolonged social media use is not fundamentally problematic in a Hungarian representative study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Digital Media Studies

Background:

• Excessive social media use is often equated with technology-related addictions.
• However, evidence suggests prolonged use may have weak associations with problematic use symptoms.
• Research on psychological factors differentiating prolonged and problematic social media use in adults is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate divergent associations of prolonged and problematic social media use.
• To examine the roles of active/passive use and psychological distress.
• To analyze these associations in a nationally representative adult sample.

Main Methods:

• A hybrid data collection procedure (offline and online) was used.
• Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed.
• Data were collected from 807 Hungarian adults.

Main Results:

• Both active and passive social media use predicted increased time spent on platforms.
• Problematic social media use severity was predicted by active use, social comparison, and psychological distress.
• Psychological factors explained 58% of problematic use but only 16% of time spent on social media.

Conclusions:

• Prolonged and problematic social media use appear to be distinct phenomena.
• Psychological distress and social comparison are key factors in problematic social media use.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for addressing technology-related behavioral issues.