SNS Maintaining Relationships

Social Relations: Maintaining Relationships and Group Membership SNSs facilitate maintaining relationships, frequent communication, and establishing connections. Recent studies found motivation to be one of the most important predictors of online activity (e.g., the amount of time spent on SNSs per day, the number of times individuals check their profiles) (Ross et al., 2009; Spitzberg, 2006). The most recurring finding argues that the primary motivation of using SNSs is to maintain existing relationships that were established offline (Jordan-Conde et al., 2014; Ellison, Steinfield, & Lampe, 2007). Research shows this is especially true for college students and young adults’ primary use of SNSs (Chen & Marcus, 2012; Pempek et al., 2009). Moreover, young adults focus on connecting or reconnecting with family and friends (Subrahmanyam, Reich, Waechter, & Espinoza, 2008). Individuals access information about each other through SNSs, which helps them maintain relationships; the information accessed online acts as a resource in face-to-face communication …show more content…
Therefore, not all research accurately represents the influence of SNSs usage on identity development and social relations. Personality and cultural variations may be stronger predictors of behaviors rather than online behaviors influencing identity development. Moreover, the intensity and frequency of SNSs usage matters for managing relationships online (Steinfield et al., 2008). In addition, self-concept clarity and friendship quality was found to moderate socializing online (Israelashvili, Kim, & Bukobza, 2012). Also, poor self-concept and lack of offline friends leads to less satisfaction poor friendship quality on SNSs (Davis, 2013; Jin, 2013). While a few important friendships can be established online, most online relationships are superficial (Davis,