Social media as a tool for young women's need satisfaction
LE3 .A278 2014
2014
Sweatman, Mary
Acadia University
Bachelor of Recreation Management
Honours
Recreation Management
Kinesiology
Social media has become a leisure activity engaged in by a large population of university age students. Young women in particular are active on a number of different social media websites and applications. This study takes a phenomenological approach in looking at what users are doing on social media and what is motivating them to continue logging on. Forty women entering their final year of study at a small undergraduate university responded to a survey investigating a basic understanding of their social media use. From this survey, six participants agreed to take part in a semi-structured interview that looked further in-depth at the specifics of their behavior on social media. Four common perceived needs were identified that a majority of users were satisfying through their engagement with social media. Contrary to popular research, a fluidity that had a positive effect on user well-being was identified between the on- and offline identities of participants.
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1155