Department of Sociology & Psychology

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Browsing Department of Sociology & Psychology by Author "Owlama Rachel AJEGENA"

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    Social Anxiety, Personality Traits and Self-Esteem as Predictors of Social Media Addiction among Undergraduates in Plateau State
    (Lead City University, Ibadan, 2024-12) Owlama Rachel AJEGENA
    Social media addiction is increasingly recognized for its psychological and socio- economic impacts, such as impaired social relationships, academic underperformance, anxiety, and depression. While research on this phenomenon is emerging in Nigeria, there remains a gap in understanding the predictive role of social anxiety, personality traits, and self-esteem, especially among Nigerian undergraduates. This study examines how social anxiety, personality traits, self-esteem, and demographics (age, gender) predict social media addiction. This study addresses this gap by employing a cross-sectional quantitative survey with 397 undergraduate participants in Plateau State. The study made use of the social cognitive, cognitive behavioral, self determination and social comparison theories to explain this phenomenon. Four hypotheses were tested. Social anxiety did not significantly predict social media addiction (β = .120, R² = .014, p > .05), suggesting it has no influence in this context. Personality traits, however, were significant predictors (R = .18, R² = .032, p < .05), with extraversion (β = .112, p < .05) and conscientiousness (β = -.106, p < .05) having notable effects. Self-esteem also significantly predicted social media addiction (β = - .128, R² = .016, p < .05). Age and gender differences were non-significant (age: F(3, 393) = .637, p > .05; gender: t(397) = 1.017, p > .05).This study recommends tailored interventions, additional research, and application of findings in practice to better address social media addiction among Nigerian youth. .Key Words: Social Anxiety, Personality Traits, Self-Esteem and Social Media Addiction Word Count: 234