Determinants of Instagram Use: A Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Instagram counts over one billion users, yet the determinants behind its use, its addiction potential and relation to well-being are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE Our goal is to (1) investigate the demographic and socio-cognitive determinants of (low, medium and high) Instagram use, (2) the prevalence of Instagram addiction, (3) the relation between Instagram use, self-esteem and life satisfaction and (4) examine how these factors (1-3) explain Instagram usage intensity. METHODS A total of 237 participants (18-35 years) filled in an online questionnaire based on self-constructed scales measuring Instagram/social networking use and determinants of Instagram use, a short version of Young’s Internet Addiction Test, the Rosenberg Self-esteem scale and the Satisfaction with life scale. The data was analyzed with one-way ANOVAs, multiple regression analysis and Pearson’s correlations. RESULTS The model of the linear regression explained 41.2% of the variance of Instagram use in minutes, F(22, 214)=6.82, P<.001. Variance was mostly explained by social influence (β=.23, P<.001), perceived susceptibility to intensive use (β=.34, P<.001) and female sex (β=-.11, P=.047). Self-efficacy (r=0.48, P<.001), attitude pro (.45, P<.001), attitude con (r=0.33, P<.001) and social influence (r=0.36, P<.001) correlated moderately to largely with Instagram use in minutes. Age (r=-0.21, P=.001) and intention (r=0.16, P=.01) showed smaller effects, while self-esteem and life satisfaction showed no associations with Instagram use. In this study, 7.2% (N=14) participants classified as Instagram addicts while 37.5% (N=89) felt at substantial risk of using Instagram more than two hours daily. Time spent on Instagram daily was related to preferred Instagram functions and medium and high users used Instagram more passively than low ones. CONCLUSIONS Instagram use was shown to be especially pronounced among younger females with lower self-efficacy that held strong positive and negative attitudes towards Instagram. Moreover, passive use patterns, higher social influence and perceived susceptibility towards Instagram promoted Instagram use. While many users experienced drawbacks of Instagram use in isolated areas like distraction at work or overthinking one’s self-presentation, addiction prevalence was low and no relation between Instagram use and self-esteem or life satisfaction was found. Female sex, perceived susceptibility to intensive use and social influence explained variances in daily Instagram use in minutes the best.

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