Media and interpersonal channels uses and preferences during the COVID-19 pandemic: the case of the United States, Thailand, and Croatia.

According to media systems dependency theory, increased dependence on media to meet individual needs is directly proportional to greater perceived media importance in one's life and subsequently stronger media effects on one's attitudes and behavior. This dependency relationship intensifies during times of uncertainty or crisis. Although several recent studies have focused on media dependence during health crises such as SARS and H1N1 influenza, insights from eastern countries may not be validated in other hemisphere.

Baby Boomers' use of Facebook and Instagram: uses and gratifications theory and contextual age indicators.

Social media research tends to prioritize how young adults - and college students, in particular - use social network sites. While several studies have focused on how Facebook can help alleviate loneliness among older adults, the motives for using other social media platforms, including Instagram, have not been adequately explored. This study therefore focuses on how a uses and gratifications framework applies to older users of Facebook and Instagram, including the relationship to contextual age.

Predictors of Problematic Social Media Use: Personality and Life-Position Indicators.

Given the preponderance of social media in our increasingly saturated media environments, there is a need for greater understanding of how personality traits and states can influence problematic social media use. This study examines whether contextual age indicators (life satisfaction, interpersonal interaction, social activity), the fear of missing out, and the Big Five personality traits are significant predictors of Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat addictions. A survey of 337 college students reveals that greater social activity is a positive predictor of addiction to Snapchat.