Research On The Impacts Of Social Media Use On Risky Selfie Behavioral Willingness Among Young Adults Based On The Theory Of Planned Behavior

With the popularity of smart phones,online posting of selfies has become an important way for individuals to interact with each other in social networks,especially among young people,which is followed by some negative effects on their happiness.One of these worrying practices is the posting of risky selfies,which can be defined as pictures displaying the social media user in a dangerous situation,such as the climbing on a cliff or the inattentive driving of a vehicle.From 2011 to 2017,it is reported that selfies have killed 259 people worldwide,more than shark attacks.However,literature is lacking to document and understand this selfie taking behavior that may have profound consequences for youth’s health.Risky selfies are recent,but worrying phenomena in which adolescents take pictures of themselves during the act of risk behavior.By applying the Theory of Planned Behavior model,the current empirical study among young people(N=399)aged 18–25years old examined the relation between social media use and risky selfie behavior of youth,which enriches the research of risky selfie in China.A path analysis indicated that youth general social media use was positively related to favorable attitude、subjective norms toward the taking of risky selfies and perceived behavior control of risky selfie takers.Moreover,these 3 variables were found to positively relate to willingness of young people to engage in risky selfie taking.Furthermore,there are significant differences in gender in subjective norms and willingness to take risky selfies,but no difference in educational background.At last,support was found for the moderating roles of narcissism and sensation seeking in the reported relations with social media use.Based on the results,this study provides theoretical guidance for intervention countermeasures of risky selfie behavior.Systematic intervention measures including self-shaping,family education,school management,social supervision,etc.are urgently needed to the joint prevention and reduction of risky behaviors of young people.