It may not be personality traits, but rather weak self-control and fear of missing out (FOMO) from social experiences that underlie problematic smartphone use, according to research conducted by Semmelweis University.
In a study published in the journal Acta Psychologica, researchers examined how smartphone use relates to mental and physical health, as well as cognitive functioning, involving university students aged 18–35.
The results highlighted that neuroticism – a tendency toward anxiety and negative emotions – alone does not lead to addiction. The decisive factor is how well an individual can regulate their own behavior, emotions, and impulses.
The study identified three user groups:
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“Social” users, who focus primarily on social interactions,
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Moderate content consumers, and
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“Heavy process-oriented” users, who scroll more than 4–5 hours a day.
The last group showed signs of cognitive decline, worsening memory, attention issues, and sleep disturbances.
“The most important finding of our research is that personality (i.e., a high score on the neuroticism scale) alone does not make anyone phone-addicted. In other words, it’s not that someone prone to negative emotions, anxiety, depression, or stress will inevitably become addicted – the decisive factor is how well they can regulate their own behavior, emotions, and impulses, and how much they fear missing out,” emphasized Johanna Takács, senior scientific associate and lead researcher at Semmelweis University’s Faculty of Health Sciences.
According to the study, the problem is not the amount of time spent on the phone, but how and for what it is used.
If someone mostly scrolls passively through social media, the brain is exposed to continuous, rapid stimuli, which exhausts attention, impairs concentration, and can cause long-term mental strain.
The research also points to physical consequences.
According to expert Beáta Seregély, the constant forward head posture (so-called “text neck”) can lead not only to joint wear but also to balance problems, as altered signals from cervical nerve endings affect the brain.
Experts say the solution lies not in banning use but in awareness.
Researchers recommend reasonable notification settings, time limits for social media, more physical activity, and behavioral training to strengthen self-control as ways to prevent addiction.
(MTI)
