Title: Facebook usage among teenagers - the effect of personality and peer group pressure; an exploratory study in Greece

Authors: Elli Vlachopoulou; Christina Boutsouki

Addresses: School of Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece ' School of Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: Teenagers have become the most electronically connected generation of all time and the most avid users of social networking sites. The present study examines Facebook usage among teenagers (12-14 years old) and investigates the mediating effect of personality characteristics and peer group pressure on its use. A survey among 567 teenagers in Greece indicated that intensity of Facebook usage is positively related to increased extraversion and peer group pressure. The majority of Greek teenagers are ardent Facebook users mainly for two reasons: First, because it is a trend and second, in order to keep in touch with them.

Keywords: social media; Facebook usage; teenagers; personality; peer group pressure; Greece; young people; social networking sites; SNS; extraversion; extraverts.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2014.067661

International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2014 Vol.8 No.4, pp.285 - 299

Accepted: 15 Jul 2014
Published online: 07 Mar 2015 *

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