Exploring the Role of Metamemory, Personality Traits and Internet Addiction among Young Adults: A Comparative and Correlational Study

Abstract

Young adults today spend a large part of their lives online—studying, socializing, and being entertained. While the internet has many benefits, too much use can lead to problems like internet addiction. Some people may be more at risk than others based on how they think about their memory (called metamemory) and their personality traits. Understanding these factors can help us know why some young people are more likely to develop unhealthy internet habits. The present study tries to explore the relationships and differences among metamemory components (feelings about memory, memory mistakes, and memory strategies), Big Five personality traits, and internet addiction among young adults. A sample of 206 young adults, in which male = 153 and female = 217, was measured using standardized tools: the Brief Big Five Personality Scale (10 items), the Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire (MMQ) with three domains—feelings about memory (18 items), memory mistakes (20 items), and memory strategies (19 items)—and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT; 6 items). Correlation analyses were performed to examine the relationships among the variables, and t-test were calculated for significant differences. The dimensions of MMQ and IAT demonstrated acceptable internal consistencies. Significant negative correlations were found between internet addiction and both satisfaction with memory and perceived memory abilities, while a positive correlation emerged between internet addiction and the use of memory strategies. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was observed between neuroticism and internet addiction, indicating that individuals high in neuroticism are more susceptible to internet addiction. Also, females have scored higher on neuroticism and internet addiction than males, with significant differences. Males have scored high on all three aspects of metamemory but have not found any significant difference. These results suggest that improving self-awareness about memory and building positive personality traits could help reduce internet addiction among young adults. Such insights can help guide college programs or counseling efforts to support healthy internet use.