Personality Correlates of Internet Addiction among Smartphone Addicted Female Adolescents

Pages: 137-145
Rohini Thapar and Shubhra Jain (Department of Psychology, D.A.V. College, Chandigarh)

According to Webster Dictionary (2021), addition is defined as a “compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for and use of a habit-forming substance, behaviour, or activity having harmful physical, psychological or social effects characterized by tolerance and typically causing well-defined symptoms upon withdrawal or abstinence”. As the penetration of smartphone in this 21st century increases, a highly significant increase in the usage of this device is seen especially amongst the younger generation (Bianchi & Phillips, 2005). Now, with the facility of operating internet-based activity in the Smartphone and with its all-time convenient accessibility, its usage is soon turning into an abuse. Hence, the aim of the present research is to investigate the relationship between internet addiction and big five-personality traits among smartphone addicted female adolescents. For this purpose, Internet Addiction Test by Young (1998); Smart Phone Addiction Scale by Kwon and Lee (2013); and Big Five Inventory by John, Donahue, and Kentel (1991); and SES Scale (Singh et al., revised, 2017) were administered. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, Internet Addiction Test by Young (1998) and Socio-economic Status scale was administered and in the second phase, adolescents who scored more than 20 on Internet Addiction Test and those who belonged to middle-class socio-economic status were selected for the further study. A sample of 100 female adolescents in the age range of 15-18 years, studying in various private schools of Delhi and National Capital Regions (NCR) were thereby taken into consideration. Only students coming from two parent intact family and those possessing and using a personal smart phone for at least last 6 months were selected for the study. The students who were using either their parent’s or any other family members’ phone were not included. Purposive Sampling method was used for this study to ensure the homogeneity of the sample. Adolescent girls were moderately addicted to both internet and their smartphones. Results clearly exhibited that both internet addiction and smartphone addiction were related, but separate forms of addictions, having different personality correlates. Girls who were introverts and were less imaginative, creative or open minded but rather conventional were more prone to both forms of addiction. Whereas those girls who were less conscientious were higher on internet addiction, and perhaps found safe haven there, which may be reduced their anxieties and made them feel secure.