PREDICTIVE ROLE OF PERSONALITY TRAITS ON INTERNET ADDICTION

Aiming to develop a model seeking to investigate the direct effects of personality types
on internet addiction, this study was set and tested on tertiary level students receiving
education within two learning modes: face to face and distance education. The
participants of the study, selected through maximum variety method within purposive
sampling, included 210 students enrolled on face-to-face and distance education
programs of computer programming department. In addition to a personal data form
aiming to obtain information on demographic features of the participants, a personality
inventory and an Internet addiction scale were utilized to gather data. As an analysis
model concurrently exerting both the mediation and direct effects, path analysis with
observed variables was utilized in the current study to test the developed model. The
findings revealed that while the most powerful predictor variable of internet addiction
was conscientiousness, openness to experience was found as the weakest independent
variable predictor. Additionally the developed model was observed as valid for both
face to face and distance education students.