Behavioral cost, mode of interaction and addiction to social networks Costo Conductual, modos de interacción y adicción a las redes sociales

Abstract

The objective of this research was to determine if the behavioral cost influences the choice of the mode of interaction and the effect of social networks addiction on it. For the selection of the sample, the Social Network Addiction Questionnaire (ARS) was applied to 306 university students, 140 men and 166 women between the ages of 18 and 42 (X = 22.34), then the scores in quartiles and nine people were selected from the first quartile and nine from the last quartile. Once this was done, they were assigned in groups of three people, and each group was assigned within a condition of the factorial design. The experiment consisted of conducting an interview that could have 10 or 16 questions (behavioral cost), where the participant chose to perform it through a social network or in person, depending on the assigned condition. In the analysis of results, the Kruskal - Wallis statistic was used and the Mann - Whitney U test was used to establish if there are differences between the choice of behavioral cost and the quartiles chosen, respectively. The results showed that the choice tends to be for the least expensive option, regardless of the presence, or absence, of addiction to social networks.