What motivates users to keep WhatsApp statuses: a scale development study
Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics
ISSN: 1355-5855
Article publication date: 26 December 2023
Issue publication date: 7 June 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the immense popularity of WhatsApp, there needs to be more reliable and valid scales for identifying and measuring users' motivation behind frequent WhatsApp status updates. This study explores the underlying motivations of users in updating their WhatsApp statuses and develops a scale to measure them.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a mixed-method research design, data were obtained from WhatsApp users in India. The current research furnishes results from five studies, involving both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Findings
The results uncover seven unique motivations of users for keeping WhatsApp status, namely: social good, attention seeking, social relations, expressing views, life updates, inspiration and entertainment. Additionally, the empirical findings demonstrate the effects of the above dimensions on the positive and negative emotions of users.
Originality/value
This research is a pioneering effort in developing and validating a scale on WhatsApp status motivation construct. Key managerial and scholarly implications of the findings arising from this research are also discussed.
Keywords
Citation
Pattusamy, M. and Chopdar, P.K. (2024), "What motivates users to keep WhatsApp statuses: a scale development study", Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 36 No. 6, pp. 1409-1428. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-06-2023-0529
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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