Open Access

ARTICLE

Understanding Social Media Addiction through the S-O-R Framework: The Mediating Roles of Cognitive and Behavioral Paths

Huimin Yin¹, Difan Guo^2,*

1 School of International Journalism and Communication, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, China
2 School of Journalism and Communication, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China

* Corresponding Author: Difan Guo. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Causes, Consequences and Interventions for Emerging Social Media Addiction)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2026, 28(8), 5 https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2026.081018

Received 21 February 2026; Accepted 21 April 2026; Issue published 31 August 2026

Abstract

Background: While social media enhances information accessibility and connectivity, excessive use has prompted research into social media addiction (SMA). However, pathways linking psychological stimuli to addictive behaviors remain unclear. This study examined how boredom proneness, social comparison, and anxiety relate to SMA through two mechanisms: information overload and social media stalking. Within the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework, this research explains how psychological predispositions influence SMA through cognitive and behavioral mechanisms. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 258 active social media participants examined associations between psychological predispositions and SMA. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to examine the hypothesized model, with boredom proneness, social comparison orientation, and anxiety as internal stimuli, and information overload and social media stalking as mediators. Results: Boredom proneness and social comparison were not directly associated with SMA but showed significant indirect associations through both mediators. Boredom proneness was linked to SMA via information overload (β = 0.319, 95% CI [0.209, 0.455]) and social media stalking (β = 0.027, 95% CI [0.003, 0.071]). Similarly, social comparison was related to SMA through information overload (β = 0.091, 95% CI [0.005, 0.199]) and social media stalking (β = 0.160, 95% CI [0.071, 0.278]). In contrast, anxiety demonstrated no significant indirect associations through either information overload (β = 0.054, 95% CI [−0.033, 0.153]) or social media stalking (β = 0.021, 95% CI [−0.020, 0.079]). Conclusions: This study identifies two pathways linking psychological predispositions to SMA: cognitive strain and habitual monitoring. Distinguishing these mechanisms clarifies how addictive patterns develop and supports interventions targeting information processing burden and habitual social media monitoring.

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