Psychological Factors in Continuance Digital Media Behaviour: Smartphone, Internet and Social Media in Young Consumers.

Abstract

Since childhood, young consumers have experienced new digital media, from smartphones to the internet and social media. The purpose of this study was to compare the digital media behaviour of young people by exploring the psychological and antecedents that have sustained usage behaviour through the lens of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Using a quantitative approach, a survey was conducted in three public universities in Ghana, based on existing scales for psychosocial and individual psychological satisfactions. A sample of 825 respondents between the ages of 18-35 was randomly selected to respond to the questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to analyse the extent to which psychological factors influence digital media behaviour. The findings revealed that young consumers’ mobile internet and social media usage behaviour are greatly influenced by social-psychological gratifications such as social relationships, entertainment, and information. Still, smartphone usage is influenced by business and commercial motives. Individual factors such as self-esteem and self-seeking status did not affect any of the media usage behaviour.