WHY SELFIE? GENDER INVARIANCE IN MOTIVES FOR TAKING AND POSTING SELFIES

Abstract

The study of motivation to engage in media-related behavioral addictions requires more research attention. Studies had identified generic motives across different types of media-related behavioral addictions, while other studies have revealed unique motives that are only applicable in specific media-related behavioral addictions. The current study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Motives for Taking and Posting Selfies Scale (MTPSS). A total of 207 university students in Malaysia were recruited to participate in this study, with 98 males (47.3%) and 109 females (52.7%), aged between 19 and 24 years old (M = 20.92, SD = 1.23). The results support the original four-factor structure of the MTPSS, namely appraisal-seeking self-presentation, entertainment, status-updating self-presentation, and documentation. In terms of reliability, the MTPSS demonstrated good internal consistency. The gender invariance of MTPSS was tested in configural, metric, scalar, and residual invariance models, supporting the notion that males and females responded similarly to the items of the MTPSS. Overall, the psychometric evidence suggests that the MTPSS is a valid and reliable tool for identifying motives of taking and posting selfies. With evidence of reliability, validity, and gender invariance, the MTPSS is found to be effective in understanding the motivational drivers of selfie-taking and posting behaviors.