Title: Need factors and preoccupation among mobile social media users

Authors: Ming-Han Chiang; Li-Ling Liu

Addresses: Department of Applied Cosmetology, National Tainan Junior College of Nursing, No. 78, Sec. 2, Minzu Rd., Winzu Rd., West Central Dist., Tainan City 700007, Taiwan ' Department of Business Administration, CTBC Business School, No. 600, Sec. 3, Taijiang Blvd., Annan District, Tainan 709, Taiwan

Abstract: Social networking sites provide mobile applications to induce users to rely on and use them. Social media apps (SMAs) create, amplify, strengthen, disseminate, and consume social signals from peers and the general public. These signals are prolonging deep engagement and participation. SMAs take advantage of user needs (for belonging, self-actualisation, enjoyment, self-identity, and self-esteem), which results in the excessive use of SMAs, which then causes cognitive preoccupation. A total of 1,551 questionnaires indicated that belonging needs positively affect the excessive social use of SMAs. Self-actualisation and enjoyment needs positively affect the excessive hedonic use of SMAs. Self-identity and self-esteem needs positively affect the excessive cognitive use of SMAs. Excessive use (social, hedonic, and cognitive use) of SMAs positively affects cognitive preoccupation. SMAs must ensure the enjoyment and social needs of users. Regarding the balance between benefits and social responsibilities, SMA operators should provide healthy apps without causing conflicts in SMA users.

Keywords: needs factors; excessive use of social media apps; preoccupation; linear predictive control model; social media apps; SMAs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2024.135689

International Journal of Mobile Communications, 2024 Vol.23 No.1, pp.1 - 23

Received: 10 Oct 2021
Accepted: 10 Feb 2022
Published online: 22 Dec 2023 *