How socially anxious people become compulsive social media users: The role of fear of negative evaluation and rejection

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of social interaction anxiety on compulsive social media usage. To provide insights into the gaps in previous research, the authors identify the channels, and hypothesize that negative evaluation and rejection fears mediate the relationship between social interaction anxiety and compulsive social media usage. Further, the moderating role of frustration about unavailability and gender differences are considered in the framework for robustness purposes. Using a convenience sampling method and variance-based structural equation modeling, the authors analyzed a non-clinical sample of 402 Chinese university students. Survey results find that social interaction anxiety increases compulsive social media usage both directly and indirectly through fear of negative evaluation and fear of rejection with a stronger effect of the former. Moreover, the mediating effect of fear of negative evaluation transfers through fear of rejection, which establishes a serial link between social interaction anxiety and compulsive social media usage. Interestingly, frustration about unavailability strengthens the relationship only between fear of rejection and compulsive social media usage. Females exhibit more social interaction anxiety and fear of negative evaluation, which lead them to become more compulsive social media users, while males experience more fear of rejection. These findings can improve our understanding of the role and process by which social interaction anxiety influences compulsive social media usage, and thus may help psychologists to develop better counseling programs for compulsive male and female social media users, addressing their social interaction deficits and excessive reliance on social media applications.