Creation of the Purposes of Online Memory Sharing Scale

Abstract

I describe in this article the creation of the Purposes of Online Memory Sharing Scale (POMSS). I provide an overview of the theoretical and empirical backgrounds against which the scale was developed. I then present data from a pilot sample which indicate that the scale as a whole is a reliable measure of the reasons for people to share their experiences online. In addition, three of the subscales - Self , Social, and Therapeutic – had acceptable to excellent internal consistency reliability, while the Directive subscale had poor internal consistency and should be used with caution. The various purposes of online memory sharing were positively associated with the frequency of the sharing activity, which lends support for the validity of the scale. The Purposes of Online Memory Sharing Scale (POMSS) provides a useful tool for researchers to examine memory expression and communication in the digital age.