Social Media Addicts Need to Feed Their Egos

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The vast majority of people with internet connections use social media. For most, it is a way to keep connected and, other than the occasional online drama, there is no problem with their use. For some, however, social media becomes an addiction that interferes with their daily lives. A new study [1] looks at the relationship between social media addiction, narcissism, and self-esteem.

In a large sample of nearly 25,000 people, the researchers found that social media addiction was tied to higher levels of narcissism and lower levels of self-esteem.

Social media addiction, measured by the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale that you can try here, has been linked in the past to personality traits, like higher levels of neuroticism and extraversion or lower levels of conscientiousness. However, this is the first study to tie it to narcissism and self-esteem.

Why this link? The authors explain that social media is an ego-boosting activity, which both narcissists and people with low self-esteem seek out:

...social media applications may serve as ideal social arenas for individuals who appreciate and are attracted to engaging in ego-enhancing activities, as they enable individuals to bolster their egos on the basis of instant feedback from potentially large numbers of other individuals. (p. 5)

Furthermore, the lack of face-to-face interaction may be appealing to those with low self-esteem.

There's nothing wrong with getting an ego boost from likes on your photos or funny tweets, but when you start craving that feedback more and more, it may be time to reassess how reliant you are on the like button for your happiness.