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Short Made Them Powerful: Exploring Motivations and Problematic Uses of TikTok
Youngju Jung1, Taeyeon Kim1, Sojin Lee1
1School of Psychology, Korea University, Seongbuk-gu, Republic of Korea.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|February 6, 2025
Summary
TikTok usage motives include seeking information, trends, and escape. Active TikTok use correlates with dependency and addiction, highlighting distinct outcomes of usage patterns.
Area of Science:
- Social Media Studies
- Psychology of Technology
- Digital Communication
Background:
- Short-form video content, exemplified by TikTok, has become pervasive in daily digital life.
- Understanding user engagement with popular platforms like TikTok is crucial for digital well-being research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the primary motivations behind TikTok usage.
- To investigate the relationship between active versus passive TikTok use and psychological symptoms.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 500 individuals who use TikTok.
- Data analysis focused on correlating usage patterns (active/passive) with psychological outcomes.
Main Results:
- Six key motives for TikTok engagement were identified: information-seeking, time-killing, self-expression, trend-seeking, escapism, and inspiration-seeking.
- Active TikTok usage demonstrated a positive association with symptoms of dependency and addiction.
Conclusions:
- User engagement with TikTok is driven by diverse motivations, ranging from practical needs to psychological escapes.
- The manner of TikTok use (active vs. passive) significantly influences psychological outcomes, particularly concerning dependency and addiction.
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