Influence of Social Media on Personality and Behavior

Abstract

Social media's rapid rise continues to change how people communicate, interpret, and form their identities. Psychologists study three ways personality and social media interaction including the degree of authenticity in self-presentation, the role of social media in personality formation, and the influence of personality traits on behavior in the digital space. While self-presentation on Facebook and similar social media platforms is accurately portrayed, there is a tendency to amplify self-representation in a positive way, especially in cases of emotional stability and self-confidence. For adolescents and young adults, heavy social media usage correlates with the rise of depression, loneliness, and anxiety, as well as a decline in self-worth. Regarding personality and social media usage, the introverted and the extroverted and/or the narcissistic social media users behave differently. The introverts may truly express their-self easily, while extroverts and narcissists engage in social media more aggressively. Satisfying and destructive elements coexist, as seen in trolling, and are linked to social personality traits, including sadistic and aggressive behavior, especially in the form of digital hostility.

Keywords: Personality, digital identity, self-esteem, introversion, extroversion, social media, self-presentation, online behavior, mental health