Date of Award

6-2014

Document Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Joshua Hart

Language

English

Keywords

Facebook, attachment, social media, reassurance, communication

Abstract

Previous research suggests that various personality traits predict how individuals behave and portray themselves through internet-mediated communication and social media. In the current research, I examine the relationship between adult attachment style and the characteristics of Facebook use (e.g., frequency of "friending," "liking," and commenting). A pilot study conducted with Union College undergraduates who completed questionnaires measuring attachment style and Facebook use showed that higher attachment anxiety was associated with higher frequency and intensity of Facebook use as well as higher attention and reassurance-seeking Facebook behaviors, whereas higher attachment avoidance predicted less frequency and intensity of Facebook use as well as less attention and reassurance-seeking through Facebook. A large-scale follow up study of both domestic and international online participants who completed a revised version of the original questionnaire confirmed the pilot study's findings, and further indicated that seeking of reassurance mediated the relation between attachment anxiety and Facebook behavior.

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