Metacognition, Desire Thinking, and Problematic Social Media Use: Investigating Effects of Active and Passive Engagement in Facebook and Instagram Users

Abstract

The current study aimed to improve the understanding of cognitive and metacognitive processes underlying problematic social media use (PSMU) by comparing active and passive user engagement and contrasting Facebook and Instagram users. The metacognitive model of desire thinking (MCMDT) was utilized to explore these distinctions within a community sample of 337 participants (64% female, Mage = 36.10). Participants completed self-report measures to assess their metacognitive processes, desire thinking patterns, and social media engagement. The MCMDT demonstrated robust fit across all scenarios, with the most optimal fit for Instagram (χ2(3) = 0.850, p = 0.838, CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.0062, variance explained 59.4%), and the least optimal fit for passive users (χ2(3) = 1.151, p = 0.765, CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.0206, variance explained 45.9%). The initiation and elaboration stages of the MCMDT were supported, but the pathological amplification stage was not. As expected, active users showed better model fit than passive users, and Facebook users had more pronounced verbal perseveration (VP) activation during the elaboration stage. Contrary to expectations, Instagram did not display more pronounced imaginal prefiguration (IP) activation than Facebook. These results enhance understanding of the cognitive and metacognitive processes driving PSMU, which may contribute to developing targeted interventions. Future research should investigate how VP and IP interact with and influence the later stages of the MCMDT of desire thinking across various populations and contexts.