Relationship between dimensions of grandiose narcissism and Facebook addiction among university students

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to examine the relationship between different dimensions of grandiose narcissism and Facebook addiction among undergraduate students. In the Polish population, grandiose narcissism has been shown to have a four-factor structure: Self-sufficiency, Vanity, Leadership and Admiration demand. Studies consistently show that grandiose narcissism is related to Facebook addiction. However, it is still not clear which dimensions of grandiose narcissism are particularly related to this addiction. Participants and Procedure: The sample consisted of 486 students (313 women, 173 men). The mean age in the sample was M = 21.56 (SD = 4.50). Students were invited to participate anonymously in the study during lectures or classes. Part of the sample completed the questionnaire featured on Facebook. Valid and reliable psychometric tools were applied to assess grandiose narcissism, the Big Five personality traits and Facebook addiction. Results: The results showed that Facebook addiction was positively related to Admiration demand and negatively related to Self-sufficiency after controlling for age, gender, and the Big Five personality traits. However, there was no relationship between Vanity or Leadership and Facebook addiction above and beyond other study variables. Conclusions: The results showed that a particular dimension of grandiose narcissism (i.e. passive and dependent on others) could be viewed as a risk factor of Facebook addiction. On the other hand, the active and independent dimension of grandiose narcissism could be viewed as a protective factor in the context of Facebook addiction.