IAHRW International Journal of Social Sciences Review

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Theorizing Social Media Usage Behaviour


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1 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
     

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The lack of an integrative theoretical framework pushed most of the research on social media into cyclical form. This paper reviewed theories like uses and gratifications theory, social skills hypothesis and social capital hypothesis, as these theories previously guided social media research. In addition, this paper examined theories such as IPACE model, supernormal stimuli, behavioural economics, social brain hypothesis and psychological persuasion, which can provide a new perspective in understanding social media behaviour. Finally, this paper discussed the impetus for empirical research to test the validity of these theories.

Keywords

Social Media, Uses and Gratifications, Supernormal Stimuli, Behavioural Economics.
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  • Theorizing Social Media Usage Behaviour

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Authors

Thipparapu Rajesh
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India

Abstract


The lack of an integrative theoretical framework pushed most of the research on social media into cyclical form. This paper reviewed theories like uses and gratifications theory, social skills hypothesis and social capital hypothesis, as these theories previously guided social media research. In addition, this paper examined theories such as IPACE model, supernormal stimuli, behavioural economics, social brain hypothesis and psychological persuasion, which can provide a new perspective in understanding social media behaviour. Finally, this paper discussed the impetus for empirical research to test the validity of these theories.

Keywords


Social Media, Uses and Gratifications, Supernormal Stimuli, Behavioural Economics.

References