ArticleAddictive behaviors reports2026
Problematic social media use is associated with altered directed exploration under uncertainty.
Article in Addictive behaviors reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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6 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Problematic social media use (PSMU) has been linked to altered decision-making, yet the specific mechanisms governing how individuals with PSMU navigate uncertainty-driven exploratory choices remain poorly understood. This study investigated whether PSMU is associated with distinct patterns of directed exploration (strategic information-seeking) and random exploration (decision noise). Methods: 148 young adults (55 PSMU, 93 controls) completed a two-armed bandit task that independently manipulates relative and total uncertainty. A validated hybrid computational model was fitted to choices to estimate individual parameters for directed and random exploration. Mediation analysis tested whether intolerance of uncertainty (IU) mediated the relationship between PSMU and exploration strategies. Results: The PSMU group exhibited significantly stronger directed exploration than controls ( Conclusions: PSMU is characterized by heightened directed exploration in response to explicit uncertainty signals. The opposing influences of PSMU and IU highlight the nuanced role of uncertainty sensitivity in shaping decision-making. Computational phenotyping of exploration strategies offers a promising avenue for understanding the cognitive mechanisms underlying problematic social media engagement.
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