The relationship between narcissistic admiration, narcissistic rivalry and selfitis behaviors: The mediating roles of fear of missing out and general belongingness

Abstract

Selfie behavior is defined as taking a photo of oneself via a mobile phone and sharing it on social media. The personality traits or psychological processes related to selfie behavior have become a recent interest in psychology. In this study; the mediating role of fear of missing out and general belongingness in the relationship between narcissistic admiration/narcissistic rivalry and selfitis behaviors was examined. 440 Instagram users aged between 18 and 65 (74% Female) participated in the study online. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Scale, Selfitis Behavior Scale, Fear of Missing Out Scale, and General Belongingness Scale. Results indicated that narcissistic admiration and narcissistic rivalry are positively correlated with selfitis behaviors. The indirect effect of narcissistic admiration on selfitis behaviors was significant through fear of missing out and general belongingness. On the other hand, while fear of missing out mediated the relationship between narcissistic rivalry and obsessive selfitis behaviors; the mediating role of general belongingness was not significant. Findings indicated that different dimensions of narcissism may affect selfitis behaviors depending on an individual’s different psychological processes. It can be argued that selfie behaviors may be a way of establishing interpersonal relationships on social media. The current study focused on a single social media application and selfie behaviors only. For this reason, it is suggested to examine social media behaviors in the context of different social media applications.