A survey of adults residing in Sakarya, Türkiye, found that loneliness was not associated with social media addiction (when controlling for other factors), but boredom in life was. Bored individuals were more likely to exhibit signs of social media addiction. Social media addiction symptoms also tended to be higher in individuals with more pronounced Machiavellian traits. The research was published in Psychological Reports.
Social media addiction is a behavioral condition in which a person feels a compulsive need to use social media excessively, often to the point that it interferes with daily life. It involves constant checking, posting, or scrolling through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or X. People with this addiction often experience cravings, anxiety, or restlessness when they cannot access social media. Over time, it can lead to neglected responsibilities, reduced productivity, and strained relationships.
Like other behavioral addictions, social media addiction activates the brain’s reward system—especially through likes, comments, and shares. It may also contribute to sleep disturbances, low self-esteem, and increased feelings of loneliness or depression. The fear of missing out (FOMO) and social comparison often fuel the compulsion to stay connected that defines social media addiction. Although it is not officially classified as a mental disorder, research increasingly recognizes it as a public health concern.
Study authors Aaron Cohen and Emrah Özsoy sought to explore the relationship between social media addiction symptoms, Dark Tetrad personality traits, and situational factors such as loneliness and boredom in life.
The Dark Tetrad refers to four socially undesirable personality traits: narcissism, marked by excessive self-importance and a need for admiration; Machiavellianism, characterized by manipulativeness, deceit, and strategic exploitation of others; psychopathy, involving impulsivity, emotional coldness, and lack of empathy or remorse; and sadism, the tendency to derive pleasure from causing pain or humiliation. Loneliness is a distressing feeling of social disconnection or a lack of meaningful relationships, even in the presence of others. Boredom in life is a state of dissatisfaction and restlessness caused by a lack of interest, purpose, or engaging activity.
The researchers conducted an online survey with 247 adults residing in Sakarya, Türkiye. Seventy-five percent of the participants were women, and 51% had never married. The average age was 26 years. The survey included assessments of social media addiction symptoms (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale), Dark Tetrad traits (Short Dark Tetrad), boredom (Shortened Boredom Proneness Scale), and loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale).
Initial results showed that individuals with more severe social media addiction symptoms tended to score higher on Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism. These symptoms were also more common in individuals reporting higher levels of boredom and loneliness.
However, when the researchers controlled for overlapping associations between the studied factors, only boredom and Machiavellianism remained significant predictors of social media addiction. Loneliness was no longer related, and neither were psychopathy, sadism, or narcissism. Notably, in models that excluded boredom and loneliness, addiction symptoms were best predicted by Machiavellianism, sadism, and lower levels of narcissism.
“The findings revealed that, among the Dark Tetrad traits, Machiavellianism and sadism, and among the situational factors, boredom significantly predicted SMA [social media addiction],” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about personality traits and psychological states associated with social media addiction. However, it should be noted that the design of this study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results. Additionally, the study was conducted on residents of single settlement in Türkiye only. Results on other cultural groups might differ.
The paper, “Dark Personality Traits and Situational Factors in Social Media Addiction: Insights From Turkish Users,” was authored by Aaron Cohen and Emrah Ozsoy.
