Using a comprehensive personality model, this study is the first to examine the relationship between a
full range of personality traits and cell phone addiction. 346 college students completed an online survey
that asked respondents to complete measures of the Big-Five personality traits and measures of materialism
and need for arousal, Barratt’s (1959) impulsiveness scale, and a four-item measure of cell phone
addiction. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Couched in Mowen’s (2000) 3M Hierarchical
Model of Personality, the elemental traits of emotional instability and materialism were positively
associated while introversion was negatively associated with cell phone addiction. The central
trait of attention impulsiveness exhibited a direct and positive association with cell phone addiction. A
significant negative relationship between conscientiousness and all three dimensions of Barratt’s impulsiveness
scale (central trait) was found. Several additional relationships between the elemental traits of
Mowen’s personality hierarchy and the three dimensions of impulsiveness (central trait) also were
uncovered. Study implications and future research directions are discussed.