This study examined the relationship between user personality traits and Facebook use among Indian respondents of different ages. It found that older Facebook users generally had lower levels of extraversion, conscientiousness, and emotional stability but higher openness and agreeableness. They used Facebook more as a daily routine and felt more connected to the Facebook community. Younger users spent similar time on Facebook but used it more for communication and interacting with others, regardless of their personality traits. The study suggests Facebook provides an equal experience for introverts and extraverts.

1. “Social Media Participatory Cultures -
A Study of the Dynamics between User
Personality and Facebook Use”
Dr. Kalyani Suresh
Assistant Professor,
Amrita School of Communication,
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham,
Coimbatore, India
s_kalyani@cb.amrita.edu

2.  The Uses and Gratifications Theory suggests that
people have different socio-psychological traits, which
may affect the way and the reasons they use social
media to satisfy their personal needs.

3.  In the Internet environment, users are even more
actively engaged communication participants,
compared to other traditional media.

4.  Created in 2004, as of April 2011, Facebook has above
660 million users worldwide. It is reported to have
more than 23 million users in India, with more than
20 million being above 18 years of age and over 3
million in the below 18 years category.

5.  Researchers have found high levels of correlation
between personality traits and use of social
networking sites.
 Most common personality traits studied come under
the broad dimensions of Extraversion, Emotional
Stability, Openness to Experiences, Agreeableness, and
Conscientiousness

6.  Openness to Experience: curious, intelligent and
imaginative. High scorers tend to be artistic and
sophisticated in taste and appreciate diverse
views, ideas, and experiences.
 Conscientiousness: responsible, organized,
persevering. Conscientious individuals are extremely
reliable and tend to be high achievers, hard workers,
and planners.
 Extraversion: outgoing, amicable, assertive.
Friendly and energetic, extroverts draw inspiration
from social situations.

7.  Agreeableness: cooperative, helpful, nurturing.
People who score high in agreeableness are peace-
keepers who are generally optimistic and trusting of
others.
 Neuroticism (Emotional Stability): anxious,
insecure, sensitive. Neurotics are moody, tense, and
easily tipped into experiencing negative emotions.

8.  Studies on gratifications of Facebook users and
individual personality characteristics have used the
student community as their samples.

9. This study uses wider age groups as samples to find
out whether there is a relationship between
personality traits and various indicators of Facebook
use in terms of age and gender

10.  An online survey was conducted among Indian
respondents between October and November 2011.
The survey was conducted using the Kwik Survey host

11.  45% of the respondents were men and 55% were
women. Ages ranged from ‘below 15 years’ to ‘32 years
and above’.
 A majority of respondents in the ‘older’ age category
(96%) were early adopters of Facebook.

12. Respondents answered questions on basic use of
Facebook, attitudes and online sociability functions
associated with Facebook and personality traits related
items.

13.  Attitudes
 Facebook is a part of my everyday activity
 I am proud to tell people I am on Facebook
 I dedicate part of my daily schedule to Facebook
 I feel out of touch when I haven't logged on to Facebook for a while
 I feel I am part of the Facebook community
 I would be sad if Facebook shut down
 I am satisfied with Facebook
 Online Sociability Function
 How often do you use Facebook during working hrs?
 how often do you use Facebook to comment on others' photos?
 how often do you use Facebook to post on others' walls?
 how often do you use Facebook to check on your own wall?
 how often do you use Facebook to send private messages?

14.  Majority of Facebook users reported lower levels of
Extraversion (78%), lower levels of Conscientiousness
(73%), lower levels of Emotional Stability (73%),
higher levels of Agreeableness (76%) and Openness to
Experience (77%)

15. Respondents’ Age Respondents’ Personality Types Attitude towards Facebook and Online Sociability
Functions variable
Age Extraversion Openness to Emotional Stability
(Older/Younger) (High/Low) Experience (High/Low)
(High/Low)
Older Low Facebook is a part of my everyday activity
Older Low I feel out of touch when I haven't logged on to Facebook for
a while
- Low I dedicate part of my daily schedule to Facebook
Older Low I feel I am part of the Facebook community
Older Low I would be sad if Facebook shut down
- Low Low I am proud to tell people I am on Facebook
Older - I am satisfied with Facebook
Younger Using Facebook during working hours
-
Younger Using Facebook to comment on others' photos
-
Younger Using Facebook to post on others' walls
-
Younger Using Facebook to check on your own wall
-
Younger Low Using Facebook to send private messages
-

16.  The equal time spent using Facebook (10 to 30 min per
day) by respondents, regardless of extraversion score
(high/low) suggests that online introverts behaved in
a similar manner to extraverts.

17.  This suggests that Facebook was a “level playing field”
for introverts and extraverts alike.

18.  Older people were more engaged on Facebook as a
daily routine.
 Younger respondents used Facebook communicatively
and interpersonally.
 No significant differences in terms of gender on
Attitudes and Online Sociability functions of
Facebook users.