So Similar, Yet So Different: How Motivations to Use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok Predict Problematic Use and Use Continuance Intentions
Open accessAbstract
While much of the studies within the Uses and Gratifications (U&G) tradition were set to predict facets of media use, the current study examines how use motivations, nature of platform use, and privacy-related perceptions predict users’ use continuance intentions for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok and their problematic use (i.e., addiction), simultaneously. The study uses a cross-sectional survey of undergraduate students at a large Midwestern University ( N = 685), where participants expressed their motivations to use each of the four platforms (depending on their active use of the platform), platform affinity and other usage factors, their intentions to continue using the platform, and their problematic use of the platform. Findings showed superiority of Instagram in terms of U&G. Regression models highlighted differences in the four platforms’ problematic use and continuance intentions. Findings are discussed within the framework of reconceptualizing U&G outcomes within the evolving social media environment.
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Alhabash et al. (2024) found that users rated TikTok highly for coolness, escapism, and relaxation.
“Additionally, users rated TikTok highly for coolness, escapism, and relaxation, aligning with its reputation for engaging, short-form video content.”
From Applying Uses and Gratifications Theory to TikTok: A systematic literature review of users' motivations (2025) · cites this paper as Alhabash et al. (2024)
Alhabash et al. (2024) found that coolness and entertainment motives positively influenced users' intentions to continue using TikTok, whereas self-documentation and passing time motives were negatively associated with continued use intentions.
“Similar to problematic use, coolness and entertainment motives positively influenced users' intentions to continue using TikTok, whereas self-documentation and passing time motives were negatively associated with continued use intentions.”
From Applying Uses and Gratifications Theory to TikTok: A systematic literature review of users' motivations (2025) · cites this paper as Alhabash et al. (2024)
Alhabash et al. (2024) found that continuous use intentions of TikTok were influenced by privacy-related trust (positive predictor) and privacy awareness (negative predictor).
“Finally, continuous use intentions of TikTok were also influenced by privacy-related trust (positive predictor) and privacy awareness (negative predictor).”
From Applying Uses and Gratifications Theory to TikTok: A systematic literature review of users' motivations (2025) · cites this paper as Alhabash et al. (2024)
Alhabash et al. (2024) found that primary motivations for using TikTok in USA were entertainment and passing time.
“The results indicated that primary motivations for using TikTok were entertainment and passing time.”
From Applying Uses and Gratifications Theory to TikTok: A systematic literature review of users' motivations (2025) · cites this paper as Alhabash et al. (2024)
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- Authors
- Alhabash, S., Smischney, T. M., Suneja, A., Nimmagadda, A., & White, L. R.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln (US)
- Corresponding author
- Alhabash, Saleem
- Venue
- Sage Open
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2024-04
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 2
- ISSN
- 2158-2440 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4398253366
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 3
- FWCI
- 25.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- SAGE Open (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Media and Digital Communication
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Technology Adoption and User Behaviour
- Keywords
- uses and gratifications theory, motivations for social media use, social media addiction, continuance intention, perceived privacy, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, undergraduate students
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