The privacy paradox states that online privacy concerns do not sufficiently explain online privacy behaviors on social network sites (SNSs). In this study, it was first asked whether the privacy paradox would still exist when analyzed as in prior research. Second, it was hypothesized that the privacy paradox would disappear when analyzed in a new approach. The new approach featured a multidimensional operationalization of privacy by differentiating between informational, social, and psychological privacy. Next to privacy concerns, also, privacy attitudes and privacy intentions were analyzed. With the aim to improve methodological aspects, all items were designed on the basis of the theory of planned behavior. In an online questionnaire with N = 595 respondents, it was found that online privacy concerns were not significantly related to specific privacy behaviors, such as the frequency or content of disclosures on SNSs (e.g., name, cell-phone number, or religious views). This demonstrated that the privacy paradox still exists when it is operationalized as in prior research. With regard to the new approach, all hypotheses were confirmed: Results showed both a direct relation and an indirect relation between privacy attitudes and privacy behaviors, the latter mediated by privacy intentions. In addition, also an indirect relation between privacy concerns and privacy behaviors was found, mediated by privacy attitudes and privacy intentions. Therefore, privacy behaviors can be explained sufficiently when using privacy attitudes, privacy concerns, and privacy intentions within the theory of planned behavior. The behaviors of SNS users are not as paradoxical as was once believed.

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Does communication on social network sites (SNSs) or instant messengers (IMsOne often hears that social network sites such as Facebook or Twitter and online instant messengers such as WhatsApp or Snapchat reduce face-to-face communication and make people lonelier and less satisfied with their lives. At the same time, one also hears that these same services instead connect people, foster communication, and increase well-being. In order to further increase our understanding of these phenomena, we asked two questions in this paper. First, does communicating via social network sites and via instant messengers reinforce or displace face-to-face communication? And second, does communicating via social network sites and via instant messengers increase or decrease loneliness and life satisfaction?In general, communication can take place via a number of channels, including face-to-face (FtF) communication, video calls, telephone calls, mail, e-mail, voicemail, text messaging/SMS, instant messengers (IMs), social network sites (SNSs), or even online virtual worlds (e.g., Second Life) or

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Social identity theory and self‐categorization theory suggest that people categorize themselves as belonging to certain groups such as nationality, gender, or even sports teams. Social identity theory focuses on how group memberships guide intergroup behavior and influence an individual's self‐concept. Closely tied to self‐categorization is an individual's evaluation of the in‐group. To reach positive evaluations of one's own in‐group, people engage in processes of social comparison. They derogate the out‐group with the aim of increasing their own self‐esteem. Self‐categorization theory proposes that, depending on salience in a situation, either personal identity and interpersonal behavior, social identity and intergroup behavior, or dynamic interplay prevails. These theories have widely been used to explain media use and media effects on people. For example, it has been shown that media users prefer media featuring positively portrayed protagonists of their own in‐group.

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