Facebook, Social Media Addiction Caused By Family Genes, Social Insecurity & More? Full Details Here!

Billions of people are now using the social media platform formed by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook. Yet, millions are also becoming addicted that they spend hours just scrolling through it. Studies have shown the reason behind this addiction so that people would be aware.

According to LA Times the reason for Facebook addiction was pointed to be associated with family genes. It was found out by a study published in PLOS One that genetic influences have an effect on all of a person’s physiological traits. Thus, a person’s time spends on a computer is affected as well.

The study by the King’s College London assessed the media usage of 8,500 teenage twins from the Twins Early Development Study in the U.K. and Wales. The study then took into account that since the two persons are twins they share 100% of their genetic information. On the contrary, fraternal twins only share 50% of their genetic traits. The study then compared both of the group's choices.

Hence it was concluded by the study “For social networking, they found genes accounted for 24 percent of time spent online. Heritability was also responsible for 37 percent of time spent on entertainment media, 34 percent of educational media, and 39 percent of online gaming” per Daily Mail. Yet, Professor Plomin suggested that amid conclusion, individual differences and choices would still play a critical role on what they would spend time on the social media.

Meanwhile, Facebook addiction was seen not to be influenced by real life relationships as Dr. Frederick Muench, Ph.D. stated on Psychiatry Advisor. He then said that “pathologic gambling may be driven by reward and deficits in monetary loss sensitivity.” Then he added that having control over social media use may be driven by the feelings of social insecurity and comparison amid positive relationships.

With that said, it was also reported that a 2014 study published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions mentioned that people who have low psychosocial wellbeing are the ones who are at risks of developing the Facebook addiction. Thus, the Facebook users undergoing loneliness, anxiety, and depression turn to Facebook to alleviate their mood that further leads to Facebook addiction.