Selçuk iletiŞİM

Instant Messaging Use Among University Students (81-96)
93
being my hobby” (r = .24, p< .001) positively
and significantly correlated with IM frequency.
The last block which includes respondents’
demographic variables explained (with three
blocks) 43 percent (F = 19.3, p< .001) variance
of IM using frequency. Results showed that
second class (β = .091, p< .01) significantly
and positively predicted IM using frequency.
Also this predictor significantly and positively
correlated with IM frequency (r = .12, p<
.001). This means that students who attend
second class use more frequently IM than at-
tending fourth class students. On the other hand
gender (male) significantly and negatively
predicted to IM frequency (β = -.100, p< .01).
Also gender (male) significantly and negatively
correlated with IM frequency (r = -.08, p< .05).
This result indicated that female students use
more frequently IM than male students.
Model 2 revealed similar results like model 1.
Results showed that convenience motive (β =
.114, p< .05), number of saved friends in IM
account (β = .140, p< .01), and time of the
internet usage in one day (β = .325, p< .001)
significantly and positively predicted to “time
spent on each instant messaging session”. On
the other hand classmates (r = -.11, p< .05),
ordinary friends (r = -.13, p< .01), family
members (r = -.09, p< .05), number of the
session in one day (r = -.22, p< .001), amount
of spending monthly (r = -.09, p< .05), third
class (r = -.09, p< .05), gender (male) (r = -.09,
p< .05), significantly and negatively predicted
“time spent on each instant messaging ses-
sion”.
CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION
This exploratory study showed that university
students’ motives of IM using were (in se-
quence of importance) (1) interpersonal inter-
action and utility, (2) convenience, (3) relaxa-
tion/entertainment, and (4) information seek-
ing. Students’ first ranking IM motives was
interpersonal interaction and utility while the
last ranking was information seeking. Inter-
factor correlation analysis revealed that the
highest correlation was between interpersonal
interaction and utility factor and relaxa-
tion/entertainment factor while the lowest was
information seeking. It means that, as the stu-
dents were communicating to each other, at the
same time they were entertaining themselves
instead of information seeking. As a result of
these findings IM is a medium of interaction
and relaxation/entertainment instead of infor-
mation seeking for Selcuk University students.
Also the interpersonal interaction and utility
motive was the only one positively and signifi-
cantly predictor of IM using frequency among
the other motives. The additional first two
factors have the highest positively and signifi-
cantly correlations between IM using fre-
quency. This result has confirmed the thesis
which supposed IM is a medium of interaction
and relaxation/entertainment instead of infor-
mation seeking for Selcuk University students.
On  the  other  hand  IM  is  a  medium  which  fa-
cilitates romantic relationships between stu-
dents because analysis indicated that respon-
dents have chatted more frequently with their
girl/boy friends. Also results of analysis
showed that the number of friends saved in IM
account positively and significantly contributed
to IM using frequency.  In fact these results are
consistent with the first two IM motivations
because respondents have used IM with moti-
vations of “interpersonal interaction and util-
ity” and “relaxation/entertainment”, these mo-
tivations can be associated with romantic rela-
tionships. Also number of saved friends in IM
account can be associated with the motive of
interpersonal interaction and utility. Both two
variables positively and significantly contrib-
uted to IM using frequency.
Finally, the research indicated that female
students more frequently use IM than males.
This  result  can  be  taken  as  an  indication  that
females feel more at ease on IM than face to
face communication compared to males.
Instant Messaging has been very popular espe-
cially among university students, therefore
more specific studies should be conducted by
researchers. This study explored motivations of
instant messaging; other studies should investi-
gate different dimensions of instant messaging.
For example the relationship between instant
messaging and interpersonal communication
satisfaction can be examined. Also the relation-
ship between instant messaging use and per-

---

Selçuk İletişim, 5, 3, 2008
94
sonnel characteristics (loneliness, self-
expression) can be investigated.
On the other hand cultural characteristics and
IM use also can be studied. A comparison can
be done between foreign and Turkish students
by  a  cross-cultural  study.  Also  IM  use  among
different social groups can be investigated.
Researchers used survey in this study; other
researchers can use different methods like close
observation, and focus group in this kind of
studies. These methods can provide more spe-
cific findings about the nature of IM use. IM
and SMS are used intermingled therefore the
relationship between IM and different new
media - like SMS and mobile phone – use
should be studied by researchers.
REFERENCES
Abelman R (1988) Motivations for Viewing
“The 700 Club”, Journalism Quarterly, 65,
112-118.
Adams J (2005) Student Perceptions of the
Impact of Instant Messaging on Academic
Writing, Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation,
The Department of Teaching & Leadership and
the Faculty of the Graduate School of the Uni-
versity of Kansas, UMI Dissertation Informa-
tion Service.
Armstrong M H (1999) The Gratification Di-
mensions of the İnternet’s World Wide Web:
An Exploratory Study, Unpublished Doctoral
Dissertation, The Florida State University,
UMI Dissertation Information Service.
Atabek Ü (2003) İletişim Teknolojileri ve
Yerel Medya İçin Olanaklar, S Alankuş (Der.),
Yeni İletişim Teknolojileri ve Medya,
Habercinin El Kitabı Dizisi: 3, IPS İletişim
Vakfı Yayınları, İstanbul, ss. 55-84.
Avrahami D & Hudson S E (2006) Respon-
siveness in Instant Messaging: Predictive Mod-
els Supporting Inter-Personal Communication,
CHI 2006 Proceedings, Using Knowledge to
Predict & Manage, April 22-27, 2006, Canada,
pp. 731-740.
Bradner E M (2001) Social Factors in the De-
sign and Use of Computer-Mediated Commu-
nication Technology, Unpublished Doctoral
Dissertation, University of California, UMI
Dissertation Information Service.
Cameron A F & Webster J (2004) Unintended
Consequences of Emerging Communication
Technologies: Instant Messaging in the Work-
place, Computers in Behavior, 21 (2005), 85-
103.
Charney T R (1996) Uses and Gratifications of
the Internet, Unpublished Master of Arts Dis-
sertation, Michigan State University, UMI
Dissertation Information Service.
Cox J C (1981) A Uses and Gratifications Ap-
proach To Listeners’ Preferences for Different
Radio Format Elements, Unpublished Master
of Arts Dissertation, The Florida State Univer-
sity College of Communication, UMI Disserta-
tion Information Service.
Debrand C C (2004) Gender Differences in
Email and Instant Messaging: a Study of Un-
dergraduate Business Information Systems
Students, Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation,
Utah State University, Utah, UMI Dissertation
Information Service.
Dimmick J, Kline S L & Stafford L (2000) The
Gratification Niches of Personal E-mail and the
Telephone, Communication Research, 27 (2),
227-248.
Eldridge M & Grinter R E (2001) Studying
Text Messaging in Teenagers, Retrieved No-
vember 11, 2007,
[On-line] Available:
http://socio.ch/mobile/index_mobile.htm
Erdoğan İ (1977) Television and Newspaper
Uses and Gratifications of Foreign Graduate
Students at the University of Pittsburgh: Some
Correlates, Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation,
University of Pittsburgh, UMI Dissertation
Information Service.
Flanagin A J (2005) IM Online: Instant Mes-
saging Use among College Students, Commu-
nication Research Reports, 22 (3), 175-187.
Flynn N (2004) Instant Messaging Rules: A
Business Guide to Managing Policies, Security,
and Legal Issues for Safe IM Communication,
AMACOM American Management Associa-
tion, New York.
Grinter R E & Palen L (2002) Instant Messag-
ing in Teen Life, In Proceedings of the 2002
ACM Conference on Computer Supported
Cooperative Work, ACM Press, New York, pp.
21-30.

---