ANTECEDENTS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION MOTIVES ON TWITTER: LONELINESS AND LIFE SATISFACTION

As the sharp distinction between face-to-face communication and mediated interpersonal communication is disappearing, Twitter is now being used for private and public exchanges. This study aims to explore interpersonal communication motives on Twitter in relation to individuals’ social psychological states of loneliness and life satisfaction. Social compensation and social-enhancement hypotheses were considered for the theoretical background. Data were gathered from Twitter users through online surveys. Hierarchical regression analyses on each communication motive on Twitter (pleasure, affection, inclusion, escape, relaxation, and control) were performed. Results revealed that loneliness negatively affected the motives of pleasure and affection, while life satisfaction positively affected the motives of pleasure, affection, relaxation, and control. The implications of these findings and the meaning of Twitter for interpersonal communication are discussed