Development and validation of the Scale of Motives for Using Social Networking Sites (SMU-SNS) for adolescents and youths

Over the past decade, the Uses and Gratifications theory has driven research on the motives behind social media use. The three most commonly explored motives have been: maintaining relationships, seeking information, and entertainment. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Scale of Motives for Using Social Networking Sites (SMU-SNS), a measure to assess a wider range of motives for using Social Networking Sites than have previously been researched. A multi-method design with different samples of high-school and university students was used. First, to develop the pool of items, a literature review and a focus group study (n = 48, age range = 16–21) was conducted. Second, to reduce and refine the pool of items a pilot study (n = 168, age range = 14–24) was performed. Third, a validation study (n = 1102, age range = 13–25) was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the SMU-SNS. Cross-validation using EFA and CFA resulted in a final version comprising 27 items distributed in nine factors (Dating, New Friendships, Academic Purposes, Social Connectedness, Following and Monitoring Others, Entertainment, seeking Social Recognition, Self-expression, and seeking Information). Internal consistency was excellent and evidence of measurement invariance across gender and age was largely achieved. The SMU-SNS scores significantly correlated with other relevant variables, including age, gender, certain personality traits, social support, loneliness, and life satisfaction. Overall, findings supported the SMU-SNS as a valid and reliable measure to assess youth’s motives for using Social Networking Sites. Psychometric and general implications are discussed.Ministerio de Economía y CompetitividadMinisterio de Educación y Formación Profesiona

Fraping, social norms and online representations of self

Charting the Digital Lifespan research project was funded by EPSRC Grant Reference No EP/L00383X/1.This paper reports on qualitative insights generated from 46 semi-structured interviews with adults ranging in age from 18 to 70. It focuses on an online social behaviour, ‘fraping’, which involves the unauthorised alteration of content on a person's social networking site (SNS) profile by a third party. Our exploratory research elucidates what constitutes a frape, who is involved in it, and what the social norms surrounding the activity are. We provide insights into how frape contributes to online sociality and the co-construction of online identity, and identify opportunities for further work in understanding the interplay between online social identities, social groups and social norms.PostprintPeer reviewe

Young Voters and the Power of Political Internet Culture: An Exploration of Political Websites and Political Engagement

This thesis examines how far the use of online political information like political news websites, social networking sites, and online political humor websites relate to young adults\u27 intention to vote, political knowledge, political efficacy, and having political discussions with parents and friends. To better understand these relationships the O-S-O-R model (e.g., Cho, Shah, Mcleod, McLeod, Scholl, Gotlieb, 2009 McLeod, Kosicki, and McLeod, 1994) will be used as the theoretical framework. The survey data for this study was collected during the exciting and noteworthy 2008 Presidential Primary elections. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 years of age were asked questions related to their attention to political news information and the 2008 Primary Election. Measures include traditional media use, online political information, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, political participation, political knowledge and political interest. Results show that, social networking sites (SNS) did not prove to be an important means for political information for young adults, during the 2008 Ohio Presidential Primary Election, despite the overwhelming attention they received. Second, television news remains a significant predictor of political efficacy, likelihood to vote and having political discussions with parents and friends. Third, political interest continues to be a driving force in young adults\u27 political engagement and interpersonal political communication. Additionally, participants between the ages of 18 and 24 years of age show frequent use of SNS (social networking sites) for political and campaign information more than those participants 25 to 29 years of age. Also, those 25 to 29 years of age are more likely to use news like websites for information more than younger young adults. Finally, results from this study support the O-S-O-R model in understanding young adults\u27 intention to vote, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, and political k

Young Voters and the Power of Political Internet Culture: An Exploration of Political Websites and Political Engagement

This thesis examines how far the use of online political information like political news websites, social networking sites, and online political humor websites relate to young adults\u27 intention to vote, political knowledge, political efficacy, and having political discussions with parents and friends. To better understand these relationships the O-S-O-R model (e.g., Cho, Shah, Mcleod, McLeod, Scholl, Gotlieb, 2009 McLeod, Kosicki, and McLeod, 1994) will be used as the theoretical framework. The survey data for this study was collected during the exciting and noteworthy 2008 Presidential Primary elections. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 years of age were asked questions related to their attention to political news information and the 2008 Primary Election. Measures include traditional media use, online political information, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, political participation, political knowledge and political interest. Results show that, social networking sites (SNS) did not prove to be an important means for political information for young adults, during the 2008 Ohio Presidential Primary Election, despite the overwhelming attention they received. Second, television news remains a significant predictor of political efficacy, likelihood to vote and having political discussions with parents and friends. Third, political interest continues to be a driving force in young adults\u27 political engagement and interpersonal political communication. Additionally, participants between the ages of 18 and 24 years of age show frequent use of SNS (social networking sites) for political and campaign information more than those participants 25 to 29 years of age. Also, those 25 to 29 years of age are more likely to use news like websites for information more than younger young adults. Finally, results from this study support the O-S-O-R model in understanding young adults\u27 intention to vote, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, and political k

Young Voters and the Power of Political Internet Culture: An Exploration of Political Websites and Political Engagement

This thesis examines how far the use of online political information like political news websites, social networking sites, and online political humor websites relate to young adults\u27 intention to vote, political knowledge, political efficacy, and having political discussions with parents and friends. To better understand these relationships the O-S-O-R model (e.g., Cho, Shah, Mcleod, McLeod, Scholl, Gotlieb, 2009 McLeod, Kosicki, and McLeod, 1994) will be used as the theoretical framework. The survey data for this study was collected during the exciting and noteworthy 2008 Presidential Primary elections. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 years of age were asked questions related to their attention to political news information and the 2008 Primary Election. Measures include traditional media use, online political information, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, political participation, political knowledge and political interest. Results show that, social networking sites (SNS) did not prove to be an important means for political information for young adults, during the 2008 Ohio Presidential Primary Election, despite the overwhelming attention they received. Second, television news remains a significant predictor of political efficacy, likelihood to vote and having political discussions with parents and friends. Third, political interest continues to be a driving force in young adults\u27 political engagement and interpersonal political communication. Additionally, participants between the ages of 18 and 24 years of age show frequent use of SNS (social networking sites) for political and campaign information more than those participants 25 to 29 years of age. Also, those 25 to 29 years of age are more likely to use news like websites for information more than younger young adults. Finally, results from this study support the O-S-O-R model in understanding young adults\u27 intention to vote, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, and political k

Asymmetrical third-person effects on the perceptions of online risk and harm among adolescents and adults

Although research has identified a range of opportunities, risks, and harms related to online social networking, the public debate on online risks follows a set pattern by which members of older age groups (parents, regulators) hold a picture of members of younger age groups (teenagers, digital natives) at a uniformly high level of risk. Perceptions of online risk, however, are prone to third-person effects in which individuals perceive risks to be more apparent in others than themselves. This study investigated third-person effects across age groups to further our understanding of the set positions found in current public debate. Multivariate analysis was used to compare adolescent and adult users' personal and third-person perceptions of common psycho-social risks associated with social networking engagement in a sample of 506 UK-based Facebook users (53% male; 13–77 years). Results indicated that rates of exposure to online vulnerabilities were similar for both age groups. However, differences in adult and adolescent perceptions of risk highlighted apparent mismatches between reported exposure to risk and an individual's perceptions, with adults demonstrating lower personal perceptions and higher third-person perceptions of risk than their adolescent counterparts. The research considers the implications of risk perception on an individual's online vulnerability

Online Social Networking Has a Greater Effect on Others than on Me: A Third-Person Effect Perspective

To date, much research has been conducted on the positive and negative effects of online social networking (OSN). However, how users perceive others and themselves being subject to these effects and the consequences of users’ perceptions are understudied. Drawing from the third-person effect theory, this study examines the self-other perceptual gap for positive and negative effects of OSN and the consequences of perceptions for negative effects. Findings from our online survey (N=187) and interviews (N=8) suggested a significant difference between the perceived positive and negative effects on self and on others. Furthermore, the link between the third-person perception for usage risks of OSN and support for taking privacy protection actions was confirmed. We also found that the self–other discrepant perceptions were not influenced by age, time spent on OSN, number of OSN friends. However, gender emerged as a key difference in the third-person effects gap for privacy risks

Escapist Motives for Playing On-Line Games: Preliminary Results from an Exploratory Survey

Social games have become popular along with the tremendous growth of social networking sites, esp. Facebook. There is a gap in literature on what motivates people to play Facebook games. This paper studies social games usage behavior of students. We focus on escapist reasons, based on Warmelink, Harteveld and Mayer’s framework (2009) of escapist motives, which identifies four main motives for playing on-line games: mundane breaking, stress relieving, pleasure seeking, and imagination conjuring. In the paper, we report preliminary findings from an exploratory questionnaire survey. Besides importance of escapist motives for playing Facebook and other on-line games, we investigate how they are linked to demographic data such as: age, gender, place of origin, along with other social interactions patterns and social network usage behavior, current gaming status and an estimate of gaming time. According to our study, only 10% of respondents, who have started to play Facebook games, continued to play them. The most important motives for playing games is mundane breaking, the second reason is pleasure seeking, the third is stress relieving, and the least important is imagination conjuring

The Internet and Civic Engagement

Based on a survey, analyzes how socioeconomic status and other demographics correlate with online and offline political and civic engagement. Explores suggestions that younger generations' political use of social media may alter such patterns

Teens, Social Media, and Privacy

Teens share a wide range of information about themselves on social media sites; indeed the sites themselves are designed to encourage the sharing of information and the expansion of networks. However, few teens embrace a fully public approach to social media. Instead, they take an array of steps to restrict and prune their profiles, and their patterns of reputation management on social media vary greatly according to their gender and network size