© Media Watch 10 (2) 251-261, 2019
ISSN 0976-0911 e-ISSN 2249-8818
DOI: 10.15655/mw/2019/v10i2/49620
Instagram Your Life: Why Do Female Kuwait University Students Use Instagram?
Sulaiman Muhammed Arti1, Abdalaziz Aldaihani2,
Adel Refaat A. Mustafa3, & Mahmood Abdulnabi Al-Hashemi4
1The Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts, Kuwait
2,4Kuwait University, Kuwait
3Menoufeya University, Egypt
Abstract
This paper examines different reasons why female students at Kuwait University use Instagram. It also explores the different gratifications that students receive through using Instagram. The current survey targeted eight hundred and six randomly chosen female undergraduate students. Results found that acceptance from others, a desire to stay informed, meeting new friends, passing time, and escapism from reality are possible reasons to use Instagram. The study shows that many of these variables are considered as strong reasons for using this platform. Sharing photos with friends was the dominant gratification recognized from using Instagram.
Keywords: Instagram, uses and gratifications, Kuwaiti females, social media, Kuwait University students
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Sulaiman Muhammed Arti (Ph.D., Loughborough University, England, 2009) is an Assistant professor, Department of Theatrical Criticism at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts, Kuwait. His area of academic interest is drama and criticism.
Abdalaziz Aldaihani (Ph.D., University of Tennessee, USA, 2011) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Arts, Kuwait University, Kuwait. His area of academic interest is new media and social media.
Adel Refaat A. Mustafa (Ph.D., Minia University, Egypt, 2012) is an Assistant professor in the Media Department (Faculty of Arts), Menoufeya University and IMI Institute at Al Shrouk Academy, Egypt. His areas of research interest are public relations and integrated marketing communications; in addition to the effects of new media -SNS on the different societies and human behavior.
Mahmood Abdulnabi Al-Hashemi (Ph.D., Wayne State University, USA, 2001) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Arts, Kuwait University, Kuwait. Dr. Al-Hashemi’s academic interest is media effects, media accessibility, digital media, mass communication, media studies, new media technology, and media law.