Social achievement goals and social media

Abstract Social media use is an increasingly prevalent part of modern life and allows for a wide variety of ways to engage with others. The current research examines how chronic social goal orientations relate to social media use and to individuals’ sense of connection with others while using social media. Utilizing social achievement goal theory, we hypothesized that social goal orientations would predict 1) the likelihood of engaging with a larger audience on social media, 2) whether social media was used in a relatively active, deep, and interactive manner, and 3) the degree to which social media involvement leads to a feeling of social connection. Results of two studies supported our hypotheses and suggested that social development, social demonstration-approach, and social demonstration-avoid goals relate to different kinds of social media behavior and different perceptions of social connection in relation to their social media use. Findings suggest that social media provide a variety of ways for individuals to attain a sense of social competency and connection that are consistent with their underlying goal orientations.

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