Facebook use, personality characteristics and academic performance: A correlational study

The present paper examines the relationship between the students’ personality, use of social media and their academic performance and engagement. In specific, the aim of this study is to examine the relationship of students’ facebook (fb) use and personality characteristics using the Big Five Personality Test with (a) student engagement, (b) time spent preparing for class, (c) time spent in co-curricular activities and (d) academic performance. Results illustrate that fb time was significantly positively correlated to student engagement and time spent preparing for class. Finally, some of the facebook activities and the students’ personality characteristics are significantly positively related and some others significantly negatively related to each one of the dependent variables of the study. The implications of the study both for instructors and the students, are also discussed.