Sex Differences in the Factors Influencing Korean College Students' Addictive Tendency Toward Social Networking Sites

This study explored the psychosocial differences in the addictive tendency toward social networking sites (SNSs) between male and female Korean college students. A convenience sample of 253 college students, 90 males and 163 females, from two universities in G City, South Korea, was recruited between October 17 and November 12, 2015. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation, and simultaneous quantile regression. Female students showed a significantly higher tendency for SNS addiction than males did. Age and social support had significant effects on the tendency for SNS addiction in males; daily frequency of logging in to SNSs, subjective happiness, and depression had significant effects on the same in female respondents who fell above the 50th percentile on SNS addiction. Our data provide evidence of a heterogeneous effect of SNS addictive tendency determinants among college students, which is considered to be due to the interpersonal orientation of women and their vulnerability to depression.