Stuck on Social Media: Predicting Young Adults’ Intentions to Limit Social Media Use

Abstract

Concerns of social media overuse warrant examinations of factors influencing the use of these technologies. While studies have characterized people’s adoption and use of social media, few have examined factors that would drive individuals to limit their use. This study uses an extended theory of planned behavior to predict intentions to limit social media use. A survey of 216 college students asked participants to report their intensity of Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat use, as well as attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control on intentions to limit social media use. Findings indicate that the standard theory of planned behavior constructs successfully predicted participants intentions to limit social media use, while intensity of use was mediated by social norms. The study suggests that participants’ emotional connectedness toward social media is an antecedent of certain variables, such as perceived social norms, which in turn predicts their intent to limit use of these media.