Problematic social media use is associated with altered directed exploration under uncertainty

Background Problematic social media use (PSMU) has been linked to altered decision-making, yet the specific mechanisms governing how individuals with PSMU navigate uncertainty-driven exploratory choices remain poorly understood. This study investigated whether PSMU is associated with distinct patterns of directed exploration (strategic information-seeking) and random exploration (decision noise). Methods 148 young adults (55 PSMU, 93 controls) completed a two-armed bandit task that independently manipulates relative and total uncertainty. A validated hybrid computational model was fitted to choices to estimate individual parameters for directed and random exploration. Mediation analysis tested whether intolerance of uncertainty (IU) mediated the relationship between PSMU and exploration strategies. Results The PSMU group exhibited significantly stronger directed exploration than controls ( p = 0.029, d = 0.33), indicating an increased drive to actively seek information to resolve uncertainty. No group differences were found in random exploration or value-based choice. Mediation analysis revealed a significant negative indirect effect of IU on the PSMU-directed exploration relationship (indirect effect = −0.038, 95% CI [−0.078, −0.003]), suggesting that while PSMU broadly promotes information-driven exploration, IU may paradoxically dampen this tendency. Conclusions PSMU is characterized by heightened directed exploration in response to explicit uncertainty signals. The opposing influences of PSMU and IU highlight the nuanced role of uncertainty sensitivity in shaping decision-making. Computational phenotyping of exploration strategies offers a promising avenue for understanding the cognitive mechanisms underlying problematic social media engagement.