Understanding Motivations for Plural Identity on Facebook among Nigerian Users: A Uses and Gratification Perspective for Engaging on Social Network Sites (SNS)

Abstract

In the context of the increasing proliferation of users on social networking sites (SNS) and the ensuing debate on their benefits and drawbacks, this study examines the interconnection between human behaviors and identity formation on Facebook. We leveraged the concept of plural identity, seeking to identify relationships between online social behaviors and plural identity tendencies. We conceptualize plural identity as a construct spanning the personal and social dimensions of identity, and use these as the core starting points for studying plural identity. Accordingly, the relationships between social-communicative and personal-communicative behaviors involving plural identity on Facebook were investigated. A survey administered to Nigerian Facebook users (N = 429) revealed that social-communicative behaviors (i.e., social support and social interaction) exhibited strong relationships with plural identity on Facebook; similarly, personal-communicative variables (i.e., presentation of the extended self and self-expression) were strongly related to plural identity. This study highlights the role of SNS in satisfying peoples’ social and communication needs, which are interwoven with identity formation.