"Instagratification": Uses and gratification of instagram by university students for interpersonal communication

ABSTRACT: Social networking sites offer a platform where user can convey themselves in a diversity of ways. Users upload photos, tag loved ones or friends or just simply comment on a status. Social networking sites have been on the increase recently, with photo sharing based sites like Instagram. The motivations or the gratification that these users derive from such interactions needs to be queried. The total Participants for the study were 503 (Female =217). Participants who specified gender other than male or female were 5 in number. This study investigated the uses and gratifications of university students when they use Instagram and the interpersonal communications motives that drive them. Participants for the study were selected from the Instagram contacts of the researcher as well as from various social networking sites like Facebook, through an online survey. The result of the study indicated that there is a strong inclination to online interaction by university students due to the amount of time they spend on the internet and on mobile devices. Keywords: Social Networking Sites (SNS), Instagram, Uses and Gratification, Interpersonal Communication. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………