Impulsivity, Digital Maturity, and Morality of Pakistani TikTok Users

Abstract

TikTok, a popular social media network, has gained an immense worldwide following because of its entertaining short video format. The main aim of this study was to understand the dynamic association between the variables TikTok addiction, impulsivity, digital maturity, and morality in young adults. For this purpose, a quantitative study with a correlational research design was adopted. Purposive sampling was used to select 423 TikTok users from private universities, with 209 males and 214 females included. The data was collected through the TikTok Addiction Scale, which has been adapted from the Social Media Addiction Scale (Sahin, 2018), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (Barratt et al., 1995), the multidimensional Digital Maturity Inventory (Laaber et al., 2023), and the Moral Character Questionnaire (Furr et al., 2022). The results showed a strong significant positive relationship between TikTok addiction and impulsivity, but significant negative correlation with digital maturity and morality. Impulsivity had a strong significant negative relationship with digital maturity and morality, whereas digital maturity had a strong positive relationship with morality. The results of this study can be helpful in raising awareness about the adverse effects of TikTok addiction and in promoting digital literacy through workshops or seminars.