Self-presentation styles, privacy, and loneliness as predictors of Facebook use in young people

Facebook is an increasingly popular online platform for communication, entertainment, and information exchange. Recent studies have shown that there is a relationship between loneliness and Facebook use patterns. The main aim of the study was to examine whether the use of different types of self-presentation styles, the need for privacy, and loneliness are related to three aspects of Facebook use: standard Facebook use, addiction to Facebook, and entertainment. The participants were 550 individuals (mean age: M = 19.86 years, SD = 3.06). We used the following measures: the Facebook Usage Questionnaire, the Self-Presentation Styles Questionnaire by Wojciszke, the Privacy Questionnaire by Pedersen, and De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. The paper-and-pencil procedure was applied. Our results indicated that loneliness and self-promotion were positive predictors and the need for privacy was a negative predictor of Facebook usage. This study might open new perspectives on factors leading to addictive Facebook use tendencies. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.