The relationship between openness and social anxiety: the chain mediating roles of social networking site use and self-evaluation
Abstract Background As social networking sites (SNSs) with diverse functions gradually become an important social place for modern people, openness, as a personality trait that represents the willingness to consider diverse things, will be more likely to affect people’s cognitive and emotional exper...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01412-y |
| _version_ | 1797555578638172160 |
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| author | Jian Gong Ye Li Bingyu Niu Xiaofei Liu Yuyan Wang Bingping Zhou Man Hai |
| author_facet | Jian Gong Ye Li Bingyu Niu Xiaofei Liu Yuyan Wang Bingping Zhou Man Hai |
| author_sort | Jian Gong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background As social networking sites (SNSs) with diverse functions gradually become an important social place for modern people, openness, as a personality trait that represents the willingness to consider diverse things, will be more likely to affect people’s cognitive and emotional experience (e.g., social anxiety) in social interactions. This study examined the relationship between openness and social anxiety and the underlying psychological mechanism in the internet age based on the cognitive-behavioral model of social anxiety. Methods This cross‑sectional survey study conducted a questionnaire survey of 522 college students from two provinces in China (191 male; age range 18–25; M = 20.76, SD = 1.34). Results The results showed that openness is negatively related to social anxiety. Self-evaluation and passive SNS use independently mediate the relationship between openness and social anxiety, respectively. Moreover, openness is associated with social anxiety both through the chain mediating roles of active SNS use and self-evaluation and through the chain mediating roles of passive SNS use and self-evaluation. Conclusions Openness is negatively associated with social anxiety, and the different ways of SNS use and self-evaluation are the underlying mechanisms. These results provide insights into the clinical treatment of social anxiety and how to benefit from online interactions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:49:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1899036edba14608b9add1fcd57013ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:49:27Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1899036edba14608b9add1fcd57013ef2023-11-20T11:20:31ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832023-11-0111111010.1186/s40359-023-01412-yThe relationship between openness and social anxiety: the chain mediating roles of social networking site use and self-evaluationJian Gong0Ye Li1Bingyu Niu2Xiaofei Liu3Yuyan Wang4Bingping Zhou5Man Hai6Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education; School of Psychology, Central China Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education; School of Psychology, Central China Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education; School of Psychology, Central China Normal UniversitySchool of Psychology, Inner Mongolia Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education; School of Psychology, Central China Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education; School of Psychology, Central China Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education; School of Psychology, Central China Normal UniversityAbstract Background As social networking sites (SNSs) with diverse functions gradually become an important social place for modern people, openness, as a personality trait that represents the willingness to consider diverse things, will be more likely to affect people’s cognitive and emotional experience (e.g., social anxiety) in social interactions. This study examined the relationship between openness and social anxiety and the underlying psychological mechanism in the internet age based on the cognitive-behavioral model of social anxiety. Methods This cross‑sectional survey study conducted a questionnaire survey of 522 college students from two provinces in China (191 male; age range 18–25; M = 20.76, SD = 1.34). Results The results showed that openness is negatively related to social anxiety. Self-evaluation and passive SNS use independently mediate the relationship between openness and social anxiety, respectively. Moreover, openness is associated with social anxiety both through the chain mediating roles of active SNS use and self-evaluation and through the chain mediating roles of passive SNS use and self-evaluation. Conclusions Openness is negatively associated with social anxiety, and the different ways of SNS use and self-evaluation are the underlying mechanisms. These results provide insights into the clinical treatment of social anxiety and how to benefit from online interactions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01412-yOpennessSocial anxietyActive social networking site usePassive social networking site useSelf-evaluation |
| spellingShingle | Jian Gong Ye Li Bingyu Niu Xiaofei Liu Yuyan Wang Bingping Zhou Man Hai The relationship between openness and social anxiety: the chain mediating roles of social networking site use and self-evaluation BMC Psychology Openness Social anxiety Active social networking site use Passive social networking site use Self-evaluation |
| title | The relationship between openness and social anxiety: the chain mediating roles of social networking site use and self-evaluation |
| title_full | The relationship between openness and social anxiety: the chain mediating roles of social networking site use and self-evaluation |
| title_fullStr | The relationship between openness and social anxiety: the chain mediating roles of social networking site use and self-evaluation |
| title_full_unstemmed | The relationship between openness and social anxiety: the chain mediating roles of social networking site use and self-evaluation |
| title_short | The relationship between openness and social anxiety: the chain mediating roles of social networking site use and self-evaluation |
| title_sort | relationship between openness and social anxiety the chain mediating roles of social networking site use and self evaluation |
| topic | Openness Social anxiety Active social networking site use Passive social networking site use Self-evaluation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01412-y |
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