Individual differences in need to belong in users of social networking sites

The investigation at hand describes the role of the trait need to belong in the use of social networking services. People vary in their individual need for positive and frequent social contact, a social preference captured by the need to belong. 286 German undergraduate students took part in a questionnaire study gathering comprehensive social network use data, motives for the use social network sites, need to belong, and demographics. The data suggests that motives and use specifics are significantly influenced by the participants need to belong. The individual need to belong predicts the prevalence of social contact as primary use motive. Furthermore, it affects the specific preference for communication features used on social networks, coined towards intimate interaction or interaction with closer friends as compared to interaction that has value beyond the closest friends.