Mediating Effect of WhatsApp Addiction Between Social Loneliness and Preference for Online Social Interaction: A Cross-cultural Study

Komal Nagar, Gurmeet Singh and Rabinder Singh

Global Business Review, 2025, vol. 26, issue 5, 1216-1238

Abstract: The present study aims to explore the relationship between social loneliness and online interaction through WhatsApp addiction among a sample of Indian and Fijian respondents. Based on the responses of 202 Indian and 73 Fijian respondents, the present research study validated the mediating role of WhatsApp addiction, revealing that social loneliness increased the possibility of preferring to interact online through increased WhatsApp addiction. The empirical results showed that the underlying mechanism of social loneliness might indirectly influence consumers’ preference for online social interaction (POSI). The study further assessed the moderating role of culture in the association between social loneliness and POSI. Findings of the moderated mediation analysis demonstrated that, the association between loneliness and preference to socialize online differed, based on the identified cultural differences between Indian and Fijian groups.

Keywords: Social loneliness; preference for online social interaction; WhatsApp addiction; cultural difference; structural equation modelling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:globus:v:26:y:2025:i:5:p:1216-1238

DOI: 10.1177/09721509211055603

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