Scrolls and Shadows: Mapping the Silent Surge of Social Media Addiction and Social Anxiety through Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

The psychological landscape under the sparkling surface of likes, shares, and scrolling feeds is intricate and becoming more pressing. The current examination engages in a conceptual excavation of the growing interconnection between social media addiction (SMA) and social anxiety, questioning trends and trajectories that have taken hold in the academic literature produced after 2020. Based on 8,822 works found in the Scopus database, the research yields a bibliometric mapping of a discipline marked by the digital rush of the COVID age and the quiet epidemic of behavioural addictions. Focusing specifically on articles in psychology and the social sciences written in English, the study reports an exponential increase in research volume from 2020 to 2024, followed by a gentle slowdown; however, the level of intellectual activity and international collaboration remains high. The leading publishing venues are identified as a set of specific journals, including Addictive Behaviours, Computers in Human Behaviour, and Frontiers in Psychology. Meanwhile, Chinese, UK, and US-American scholars and institutions are the top contributors to the global research agenda. Thematic groups highlight the inseparability of SMA and its association with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and the mental well-being of adolescents in the wake of digital transformation and immersive technologies.

Popular topics, such as machine persuasion, algorithms, and neural engagement, represent a paradigm shift in post-pandemic behavioural changes, underscoring the role of AI-driven content curation in exacerbating compulsive usage patterns. Emerging studies also explore cultural variations in SMA, gender disparities in coping mechanisms, and the long-term neurological effects of prolonged exposure to algorithmically optimized feeds. The research not only maps scholarly literature but also provides a guide to future research, offering tactical information to researchers, especially new ones, on how to conduct research, where to look, and whom to collaborate with in this fast-growing area of psychology. Additionally, it calls for interdisciplinary approaches, blending cognitive science, digital ethics, and policy-making to mitigate the adverse psychological impacts of hyper-connectivity.

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