Work

Manifestations of Personality in Online Social Networks: Self-Reported Facebook-Related Behaviors and Observable Profile Information

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: Despite the enormous popularity of Online Social Networking sites (OSNs; e.g., Facebook and Myspace), little research in psychology has been done on them. Two studies examining how personality is reflected in OSNs revealed several connections between the Big Five personality traits and self-reported Facebook-related behaviors and observable profile information. For example, extraversion predicted not only frequency of Facebook usage (Study 1), but also engagement in the site, with extraverts (vs. introverts) showing traces of higher levels of Facebook activity (Study 2). As in offline contexts, extraverts seek out virtual social engagement, which leaves behind a behavioral residue in the form of friends lists and picture postings. Results suggest that, rather than escaping from or compensating for their offline personality, OSN users appear to extend their offline personalities into the domains of OSNs.

Source: Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking

DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2010.0087

Authors: Samuel D. Gosling, Adam A Augustine, Simine Vazire, Nicholas Holtzman, Sam Gaddis

Institutions: The University of Texas at Austin, Washington University in St. Louis

Language: English

Topic: Personality Traits and Psychology

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Award: Training At the Interface of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Genetics