Personality and internet use: normal traits vs. personality continuums

The aim of this research was to study the relation between Dual Personality Model’s trait continuums (combinations of pathological and positive traits; de la Iglesia & Castro Solano, 2021) and internet use, and to compare them with Five Factor Model traits (FFM; Costa & McCrae, 1984)...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: de la Iglesia, Guadalupe, Castro Solano, Alejandro, Guadalupe, Guadalupe
Format: Online
Language:spa
Published: Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas 2024
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Online Access:https://revistas.unc.edu.ar/index.php/racc/article/view/40135
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Summary:The aim of this research was to study the relation between Dual Personality Model’s trait continuums (combinations of pathological and positive traits; de la Iglesia & Castro Solano, 2021) and internet use, and to compare them with Five Factor Model traits (FFM; Costa & McCrae, 1984). Sample was composed by 745 internet users with an average age of 38.7 years old (SD = 14.4; 57% female). Internet use with leisure motive was higher in those with less emotional management (EMI) and those with lack of interest in others (IOI), and it was lower in those with high adherence to rules (ARI), impulse control (ICI) and greater environmental control (ECI). Additionally, utilitarian and work use was higher in those with higher IOI and ECI. Regarding personality adjustment (PAI) in a global assessment, healthy personality profiles are characterized by a utilitarian and work use, and those with pathological personality profiles use internet with recreational or social motives. Trait continuums significantly increased the explained variance regarding the use of utilitarian platforms and all kinds of internet use, when compared to FFM traits. Findings give further evidence of the utility of incorporating continuums traits assessment when studying personality, given that the conjointly association of pathological and positive aspects increases the explanation of the phenomenon in a significant manner.