The relationship between needs, motivations and information sharing behaviors on social media: focus on the self-connection and social connection

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the information sharing behavior of individuals on social media. Furthermore, the study analyzes the effect that individuals’ self-connection to social media has on information sharing through self-efficacy and the effect of social-connection on information sharing through empathy.Design/methodology/approachA survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to social media users from general participants in the Republic of Korea. A total of 824 valid responses were obtained. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling and applying SmartPLS 3.0.FindingsThe result indicated that individuals are motivated to share information through self-connection and social connection. Furthermore, the mediation analysis revealed that the effect of self-connection on information sharing in social media is mediated by self-efficacy. Also, social connection will increase information sharing not only directly but also indirectly through its positive effect on empathy.Originality/valueThe authors focused on the basic needs of humans and tried to reveal the relationship between human needs and motivational beliefs, which are self-efficacy and empathy, and information sharing behavior on social media. Through the individual's fundamental needs that social media can satisfy, individuals will gain positive psychological benefits through using social media. This study considered what psychological benefits social media can provide.

Psychological ownership rather than material consumption: Can fashion firms' new subscription services become an environmentally sustainable business strategy?

“…The concrete construct in the present study representing the concept of the social value of sharing is the sense of connectedness, which refers to the extent to which consumers believe sharing something with others can make them feel connected with those people and the community and thus increase their overall sense of belonging. Research has shown that sharing information and experiences not only on social media (e.g., Kim et al, 2023) but also through a sharing service (e.g., Baek & Oh, 2021; Hawlitschek et al, 2018) contributes to increased social connections and a broadened community.…”

The Effect of Identity Salience on Residents’ Engagement with Place Branding during and Post COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Overall, social connectedness is an important inner concept that strengthens the effects of individuals' social roles [85,86], because it elicits a sense of self-worth in the group and enhances the desire for additional connection with others [17]. Indeed, Gieling and Ong (2016) demonstrated that social connectedness enables individuals to identify strongly with their group members and drives identity-enhancement motivation [87].…”

User's Motivation in Sharing Information on Social Media

“…There is also self-interest behavior when the user is promised to give a certain degree of reward to the user for sharing out [5]. The second type of motivation is sharing involving others, such as when the user feels that the content shared is beneficial to others, and sharing can help the user connect and strengthen interpersonal relationships [6].…”