User Characteristics of Vaguebookers versus General Social Media Users

Abstract

Using the Unified Theory of User Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), we examined how user traits predict both general acceptance of social media as well as vaguebooking, an understudied subtype of problematic social media use. Past research has suggested that general acceptance of social media platforms and problematic social media use may be linked to different user traits. Based on a sample of young adults (N = 467), general acceptance and use of social media platforms were associated with a need to belong, while vaguebooking was associated with loneliness and histrionic symptoms. Histrionic users also had a higher acceptance of social media platforms.