Narcissism can turn you into social media addict

With social media giving us a quick and easy means to seek online approval and an admiration fix, a new study has pointed out that it can fuel addiction among narcissists.

Social networking sites such as Facebook provide the ideal environment for some types of narcissists to promote themselves and seek the admiration of others on a grand scale, according to the University of Florence study.

In the article "Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissists: Who Is at Higher Risk for Social Networking Addiction?," researchers Silvia Casale, Giulia Fioravanti and Laura Rugai suggest that vulnerable narcissists, who tend to be insecure and have lower self-esteem, are more likely to feel safer in online versus face-to-face interactions, which might lead them to prefer social networking as a means to gain approval and admiration.

In contrast, grandiose narcissists, who tend toward arrogance and exhibitionism, are likely to seek out admiration more openly, rather than through social media.

"Since online interactions tend to have an indirect effect on an individual's social self-esteem, it is important to assess carefully for comorbid depression in those presenting with generalized problematic Internet use," said Editor-in-Chief Brenda K. Wiederhold, Interactive Media Institute.

The study is published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.