Smartphone Addiction: Linking Loneliness, Shyness, Symptoms and Patterns of Use to Social Capital

This study explores the roles of psychological attributes (such as shyness and loneliness) and smartphone usage in predicting smartphone addiction symptoms and social capital. Data were gathered from a sample of 414 university students using online survey in Mainland China. Exploratory factor analysis has identified five addiction symptoms: disregard of harmful consequences, preoccupation, inability to control craving, productivity loss, and feeling anxious and lost. Results show that the higher one scored in loneliness and shyness, the higher the likelihood one would be addicted to smartphone. The most powerful predictor inversely affecting both bonding and bridging social capital was loneliness. Furthermore, use of smartphone for different purposes (especially for information seeking, sociability and utility) and exhibiting different addiction symptoms (such as preoccupation and feeling anxious and lost) significantly impacted social capital. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.