Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of loneliness on the mobile phone addiction, and to investigate the role of the psychological variable of online social support. Methods: 622 college students were surveyed by using the mobile phone addiction index (MPAI) scale, Online Social Support Questionnaire for College Students and the short-form of the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Results: The main effect of online social support and the mobile phone addiction on education level was significant. Loneliness was negatively correlated with online social support and the mobile phone addiction, online social support is positively correlated with the mobile phone addiction. Online social support was a complete mediator between loneliness and the mobile phone addiction.
Highlights
With the progress of society, the way people communicate with each other is becoming more and more convenient and efficient
There are significant differences in loneliness, online social support and the mobile phone addiction among people with different levels of education, this may be because people with higher education levels are more likely to immerse themselves in their own world and have less contact with the outside world, having a stronger sense of loneliness; The more educated tend to spend most of their lives studying and improving themselves, are less likely than the less educated to seek social support online, and are less dependent on their phones
As can be seen from the correlation analysis of this study, Loneliness was negatively correlated with online social support and the mobile phone addiction, online social support is positively correlated with the mobile phone addiction
Summary
With the progress of society, the way people communicate with each other is becoming more and more convenient and efficient. We see people on the subway sitting opposite each other with their cell phones without saying a word This is a profound reflection of the mobile phone addiction and a different kind of loneliness in modern living environment. Mobile phone dependence is based on behavioral addiction, which manifests in abuse, withdrawal, and affects normal work, study, and social interaction. Studies have shown that mobile phone dependence may be affected by different psychological traits, personality, social interaction and other factors. Online social support refers to individuals searching and exchanging information through the Internet to gain the understanding, respect and support of others. Studies have shown that when mobile phone addiction is high, online social support will increase, but real social support will decrease (Ling, 2010; Wang, 2011; Wei, 2012). Alienation, as a variable with a larger scope than loneliness, is affected by social support obtained on the Internet, individuals with high online social support can be relatively less affected by alienation (Jiang & Bai, 2014)
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