Necessary Conditions in Social Media Addiction: Identifying Key Antecedents.

Abstract

This study aims to address the fragmented understanding of the antecedents of social media addiction (SMA) by examining key factors and their roles as necessary and sufficient conditions. By integrating key variables from previous research, including the Dark Triad traits, self-regulation, social anxiety, and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), the study investigates their relationships with SMA. Data were collected through 369 questionnaires and analyzed using regression analysis and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA). The findings reveal that Machiavellianism, narcissism, and FoMO are significantly associated with SMA, while only Machiavellianism and FoMO are identified as necessary conditions. These results contribute to the theoretical understanding of SMA by identifying critical antecedents and offer practical insights for designing targeted interventions to mitigate its impact.