Social Media User: The Gratification and The Patterns in Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

Social Media user is increasing along with the increasing of internet user. Mostly, the internet user in Indonesia is in Emerging Adulthood which is the period between the ages of 18 - 25. The aim of this study are to determine the relationship between Gratification Sought to Gratification Obtained in using Social Media and also to determine the pattern of Social Media use in Emerging Adulthood phase of Bina Nusantara University student. The theory used in this study is Uses and Gratification Theory and the concept used in this study are the concepts of social media, social media users, and Emerging Adulthood. The research method is surveyed techniques with 200 respondents who are Class of 2014 Bina Nusantara University. The technique for data analysis uses univariate analysis, a correlation analysis and a non-hierarchical cluster. The research result are that there is a high positive relationship between Gratification Sought to Gratification Obtained in the use of Social Media and formed three groups of the pattern of Social Media use, namely the Heavy users, Moderate users, and Light users of Bina Nusantara University student. The pattern of social media use of Bina Nusantara University student is dominated by the Heavy User. Keywords: Emerging Adulthood, Gratification Obtained , Gratification Sought, Social Media, Use of Social Media, Uses and Gratification Theory