An Investigation into the Relationship between Implicit Narcissism and Problematic Social Media Use

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Implicit Narcissism (IM) and Problematic Social Media use (PSMU) in an attempt to bridge the gap in current literature; the researcher also aimed to gain an understanding of the relationship when demographic variables were accounted for. Methodology: Implicit narcissism was measured using the Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale (HSNS), the second scale utilised was the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMD). Both scales have been examined and rated highly for internal reliability and validity. Results: A strong positive significant relationship was found between Implicit Narcissism and Problematic Social Media Use; this relationship was still present following a linear multiple regression accounting for demographic factors such as age and gender. Conclusion: The results show that implicit narcissism is positively associated with problematic social media use, however further research is needed to determine causation and explore the possibility of confounding variables