Abstract

Smartphone addiction has become a significant societal concern due to its rising prevalence and severity. As a result, researchers are increasingly focused on identifying psychological predictors of this addiction. This study specifically investigated loneliness as a potential predictor of smartphone addiction and examined the psychological mechanisms that might explain this connection. We explored whether the anthropomorphism of smartphones mediates the relationship between loneliness and smartphone overdependence. Data were collected from adult participants who completed assessments of loneliness, smartphone anthropomorphism, and smartphone overdependence. The results revealed that higher levels of loneliness were linked to increased smartphone overdependence, with this relationship mediated by the degree to which individuals anthropomorphized their smartphones. These findings suggest that lonely individuals may view smartphones as human-like entities, forming emotional attachments that can lead to problematic usage. This study adds to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence for a new pathway to smartphone addiction, highlighting the mediating role of anthropomorphism. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.