Does Social Media Addiction Differ by Personality Traits? A Study on Undergraduate Tourism Students

Abstract

The potential relationship between social media addiction and personality traits is an essential topic in tourism studies, though it is rarely examined. Thus, this study aims to examine whether undergraduate tourism students are addicted to social media and, if so, the possible relationship between this addiction and their personality traits. The research used the descriptive method, one of the quantitative research methods. The questionnaire technique and the convenience sampling method were preferred to amass the data. Data were collected from 454 undergraduate tourism students and analyzed with the Pearson correlation test by using SPSS 25. This research has revealed that the students' dominant personality trait is agreeableness with a low-level social media addiction. The research has also found a positive relationship between neuroticism personality traits and social media addiction and a negative relationship between personality traits of extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and social media addiction. The research has revealed that tourism students are dependent on social media. Social media addiction is a type of addiction that harms individuals' personal development and business life. Accordingly, theoretical and practical studies should be carried out to combat this addiction. To this end, it is crucial to develop more sophisticated combating methods according to an individual's personality traits and carry out awareness and training studies in the practical field. The literature has scarcely examined the relationship between undergraduate tourism students' personality traits and social media addiction. Therefore, this study is believed to contribute to filling an important gap in the literature.