Problematic smartphone use: the role of the Big Five, the Dark Triad and impulsivity

This study examines the relationships among the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness and openness to experience), the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism), impulsivity and problematic smartphone use. A total of 202 participants (52.48% male), ranging in age from 18 to 58 years old, completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, the Dirty Dozen and the Plutchik Impulsivity Scale. Correlation analysis showed that problematic smartphone use was significantly correlated with extraversion, neuroticism, impulsivity and all the traits of the Dark Triad. Using hierarchical regression analyses, controlling for age and gender, it was found that extraversion, neuroticism, Machiavellianism, narcissism and impulsivity were significantly related to problematic smartphone use. This study contributes to the body of literature that has examined the relationship between personality traits and problematic smartphone use.