Selfie-taking motives and social psychological dispositions as predictors of selfie-related activities among university students in Kuwait

Abstract

This study explores motives for taking and posting selfies on social media and whether those motives and other social psychological dispositions predict the selfie-related activities of “taking,” “posting,” and “editing” selfies. A sample of 404 university students in Kuwait indicated they took and posted selfies for motives of appraisal-seeking self-presentation (ASSP), entertainment, status-updating self-presentation (SUSP) and documentation. Females were more likely to be involved in selfie-related activities and to use selfies for ASSP. Documentation was the prime predictor of the activity of “taking” selfies, SUSP was for “posting” selfies, and ASSP was for “editing” selfies. Self-perceived attractiveness predicted the activities of “posting” and “taking” selfies. Results are discussed in light of the influence of culture in Kuwait and some conceptual considerations about selfies are made.

Keywords

looking-glass self motives selfie selfie activities self-presentation

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