QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Abstract
Motivation for social media use: differences between cultural groups
Ashraf Daoud
, Motivation for social media use: differences between cultural groups
Method
Different age groups use social media in different ways: research found that older
people on average tend to be less concerned with self-depiction and less prolific in sharing
content on online platforms. Moreover, gender-related differences found among teenagers are
significantly less perceived by older groups. Another interesting insight gathered highlights
how teenagers have more friends online and more actively comment on peers’ posts than
older people, suggesting different approaches to the online environment (Pfeil et al., 2008).
These findings underlined interesting differences in attitude and behaviour but
neglected an aspect that, in the present research, was deemed relevant: the cultural aspect. In
fact, the study by Kim, Sohn & Choi (2011) underlined how on the same social media
platform people from different cultural backgrounds display different usage attitudes. A
common pattern among different background appeared to be the motivation to use social
media, and two predictors were identified as particularly relevant: “social support” and
“information”. To the ends of the present research, it was considered as socially relevant to
analyze how different “culture”, “social group” “social media use” and “motivations” may
play a role in determining differences in usage of social media in people over 40 years old.
Based on these considerations, a research question was developed: “How do motivations for
social media use differ between cultures/ social groups?”.
An interview is the most suitable way for data collection in this research as this
research focuses on motivations for social media use. Interviews can provide the most in-
depth information on an individual’s motivations, from which theory can be derived.
Purposive sampling was used as the sampling method to assemble interviewees in this study.
A sample was drawn of one interviewee per researcher (N=5). The interviewees had to be 40
years old or older. Moreover, interviews had to be conducted face-to-face. Three interviewees
were contacted through family members or friends. The two other interviewees were directly
approached by the researchers. The interviewees in the sample, ranging from 41 to 64, had
various backgrounds. Two were Dutch, one Italian, one French, and one was from the
Philippines. Because interviews had to be face-to-face, many of the interviewees currently
live in the Netherlands. However, this was not deemed as problematic as the cultural
backgrounds between interviewees still differed.
Ashraf Daoud
Abstract
Motivation for social media use: differences between cultural groups
Ashraf Daoud
, Motivation for social media use: differences between cultural groups
Method
Different age groups use social media in different ways: research found that older
people on average tend to be less concerned with self-depiction and less prolific in sharing
content on online platforms. Moreover, gender-related differences found among teenagers are
significantly less perceived by older groups. Another interesting insight gathered highlights
how teenagers have more friends online and more actively comment on peers’ posts than
older people, suggesting different approaches to the online environment (Pfeil et al., 2008).
These findings underlined interesting differences in attitude and behaviour but
neglected an aspect that, in the present research, was deemed relevant: the cultural aspect. In
fact, the study by Kim, Sohn & Choi (2011) underlined how on the same social media
platform people from different cultural backgrounds display different usage attitudes. A
common pattern among different background appeared to be the motivation to use social
media, and two predictors were identified as particularly relevant: “social support” and
“information”. To the ends of the present research, it was considered as socially relevant to
analyze how different “culture”, “social group” “social media use” and “motivations” may
play a role in determining differences in usage of social media in people over 40 years old.
Based on these considerations, a research question was developed: “How do motivations for
social media use differ between cultures/ social groups?”.
An interview is the most suitable way for data collection in this research as this
research focuses on motivations for social media use. Interviews can provide the most in-
depth information on an individual’s motivations, from which theory can be derived.
Purposive sampling was used as the sampling method to assemble interviewees in this study.
A sample was drawn of one interviewee per researcher (N=5). The interviewees had to be 40
years old or older. Moreover, interviews had to be conducted face-to-face. Three interviewees
were contacted through family members or friends. The two other interviewees were directly
approached by the researchers. The interviewees in the sample, ranging from 41 to 64, had
various backgrounds. Two were Dutch, one Italian, one French, and one was from the
Philippines. Because interviews had to be face-to-face, many of the interviewees currently
live in the Netherlands. However, this was not deemed as problematic as the cultural
backgrounds between interviewees still differed.
Ashraf Daoud
