Cross-Cultural comparison of TikTok uses and gratifications

Abstract

This cross-cultural study examines the differences in TikTok use among users from the United States, Spain, and Chile. A survey, in English, European Spanish, and Latin American Spanish respectively, was administered to 556 TikTok users across the three countries. These users shared similar demographic characteristics, and multigroup measurement models were established to support cross-country measurement invariance. Our results show that Chilean TikTokers are the least engaged on the platform, but have more followers on average than their American and Spanish counterparts. Additionally, users’ motivations for and uses of TikTok are associated with their countries’ national cultural values. For instance, TikTok users in Chile and Spain, which are collectivistic societies, view the platform as a socialisation tool more than users in the individualistic United States. Lastly, Chileans, who have a high uncertainty avoidance level, tend to avoid self-expression and archiving on TikTok compared to Americans, who have a low uncertainty avoidance level.