Personality Traits among Frequent and Infrequent Facebook Users

Abstract

Background: Use of Facebook is a most common phenomenon in the present world. However, it has been seen that gradually excessive use of Facebook often creates some psychological problems. Literature shows that there are some specific personality profiles which are responsible for excessive Facebook use. So the main objective of the study is to reveal the specific personality profile of frequent and infrequent Facebook users. Methodology: A group of 30 frequent Facebook users of Agartala were compared with a group of 30 infrequent Facebook users aged between 18-24 years in respect to their personality traits and leisure time activity preferences with the help of Cattell's 16 Personality Questionnaire and a general information schedule. Results: The result reveals that the frequent Facebook users are enthusiastic, cheerful, talkative, frank, expressive, quick, alert, and imperturbable, they put more emphasis in concrete thinking, they are also undependable, unsteady, quitting. And the infrequent Facebook users are self sufficient, independent, resolute, and accustomed to going their own way, making decisions and taking actions by their own and they also put more emphasis in concrete thinking. Conclusion: It may be concluded from the study that there is a significant difference between personality traits of frequent and infrequent Facebook users. However, a study with a larger sample may reveal more information regarding this issue.

Keywords: Personality traits, facebook users