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Individual differences predicting social connectedness derived from Facebook: Some unexpected findings

Citation

Grieve, R and Kemp, N, Individual differences predicting social connectedness derived from Facebook: Some unexpected findings, Computers in Human Behavior, 51 pp. 239-243. ISSN 0747-5632 (2015) [Refereed Article]

Copyright Statement

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI: doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.04.034

Abstract

Social connectedness derived from Facebook is associated with positive outcomes such as better psychological health wellbeing. Yet to date, little is known about the construct of Facebook social connectedness. The aim of this study was to draw on existing studies of Facebook use to investigate what might predict social connectedness stemming from Facebook use. Participants (N = 326, age range 18–78 years) provided demographic information and completed measures of Facebook use, attitudes towards Facebook, personality, and Facebook social connectedness. It was hypothesised that younger age, positive attitudes, extraversion and openness to experience would predict Facebook social connectedness. Interestingly, with only age and attitude in the model, being older and having more favourable attitudes to Facebook predicted social connectedness derived from Facebook, with age acting as a suppressor variable. With the addition of personality in the final model, favourable attitudes to Facebook, extraversion, and openness to experience predicted Facebook social connectedness. In contrast to predictions, emotional stability also contributed significantly to the model. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for the social connectedness of older adults, and the role of emotional stability in the generation of social capital and in the ‘‘social enhancement’’ hypothesis.

Item Details

Item Type:Refereed Article
Keywords:Facebook social connectedness, Facebook attitudes, five factor model, emotional stability, social connectedness, social networking sites, social enhancement hypothesis
Research Division:Psychology
Research Group:Social and personality psychology
Research Field:Social psychology
Objective Division:Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:Expanding knowledge in psychology
UTAS Author:Grieve, R (Dr Rachel Grieve)
UTAS Author:Kemp, N (Associate Professor Nenagh Kemp)
ID Code:100810
Year Published:2015
Web of Science® Times Cited:37
Deposited By:Psychology
Deposited On:2015-05-29
Last Modified:2017-11-03
Downloads:0

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