c Pattern user needs

In the previous section factor analysis revealed several nuanced U&G motivational need factors for each social media news interaction pattern. Those factors were then analyzed in detail through reliability tests, which resulted in a selection of tested factors for each social media news interaction pattern.

In order to test whether the nuanced motivational U&G need segments are able to explain social media news interaction pattern use, and of so which segments are, sign tests were performed on each need segment revealed in paragraph 4.2.3b. Adding up the scores of all items within the need segment and then dividing the sum by the number of items calculated need segment mean

scores. Using sign tests, the need segment mean scores were compared to a score of 3. Hypothetically, if a respondent would only fill in neutral answers, the mean score would be 3. A mean score of 3+ suggests at least one motivation was rated positively. Therefore, a significant positive mean difference from 3 indicates that the factor concerned is positively associated with interaction pattern use.

Table 32 below shows the need segments with a mean value higher than 3 for every social media news interaction pattern. Not all need segments with a mean value higher than 3 show a significant mean difference from 3, because the difference in those cases is too small. Other need segments were analyzed using binominal distribution because the sample size was too small to perform a regular sign test. The social media news interaction patterns rate/vote and tag didn’t have any factors with a mean value above 3. These patterns were excluded from the analysis.

Pattern Need segment Need segment Need segment

Connect Information / discover (3,73) ** Entertainment / pass time (3,19) -

Share Identity / image (3,37) ** - -

Visit shared Information / fun (3,55) ** Entertainment / pass time (3,03) Information / discover (3,37) **

Create Identity / image (3,80) ** - -

Comment Interaction / fun (3,01) Identity / compare (3,85) ** -

Read comments Information / discover (3,04) * Entertainment / pass time (3,22) ** Identity / compare (3,82) **

Conversation Identity / image (3,08) Interaction / information (4,19) ** Identity / compare (3,22)

Read conversation Information / discover (3,17) ** Entertainment / pass time (3,32) ** Identity / compare (3,81) **

Rate / vote - - -

Tag - - -

Browse using tags Information (4,02)** Entertainment / pass time (3,25) -

Table 32: Factors per pattern with a 3+ mean score ** p < 0,01

* p < 0,05

For the connect social media news interaction pattern two need segments with a mean value above 3 were identified: information / discover and entertainment / pass time. The mean difference was significant for the information / discover need segment ( Z = -6,38 p < 0,01 ), although no significant difference was found for the entertainment / pass time factor.

One need segment (identity / image) with a mean value above 3 was identified for the share social media news interaction pattern. The mean for this identity / image need segment was significantly higher than 3 ( Z = -1,60 p < 0,01 ).

The visit shared content social media news interaction pattern data revealed three need segments with a mean value above 3: information / fun, entertainment / pass time, and information / discover. A significant mean difference was found for the information / fun need

segment ( Z = -6,51 p < 0,01) and information / discover need segment( Z = -4,22 p <0,01 ). The entertainment / pass time need segment did not show a significant mean difference.

For the create interaction pattern one need segment with a mean value above 3 was identified: identity / image. The mean difference was significant ( p < 0,01 ), but due to the small sample size binominal distribution was used, so no Z-score was computed.

Two need segments with a mean value above 3 were identified for the comment social media news interaction pattern: interaction / fun and identity / compare. A significant mean difference was found for the identity / compare need segment ( Z = -4,53 p < 0,01 ). For the interaction / fun need segment no significant mean difference was found.

For the read comments social media news interaction pattern three need segments with a mean value above 3 were identified: information / discover, entertainment / pass time, and identity / compare. For all three need segments significant mean differences were found: information / discover ( Z = -1,98 p < 0,05 ), entertainment / pass time ( Z = -2,50 p < 0,01 ), and identity / compare ( Z = -6,90 p < 0,01 ).

The conversation social media news interaction pattern data revealed three need segments with a mean value above 3: identity / image, interaction / information, and identity / compare. For the need segment interaction / information the mean difference was found to be significant ( Z = - 4,73 p < 0,01 ), although the mean differences for the identity / image and identity / compare need segments weren’t significant.

For the read conversations social media news interaction pattern three need segments with a mean value above 3 were identified: information / discover, entertainment / pass time, and identity / compare. For all three need segments significant mean differences were found: information / discover ( Z = -3,60 p < 0,01 ), entertainment / pass time ( Z = -3,52 p < 0,01 ), and identity / compare ( Z = -6,88 p < 0,01 ).

The social media news interaction patterns rate/vote and tag didn’t have any need segments with a mean value above 3.

Two need segments with a mean value above 3 were identified for the comment social media news interaction pattern: information and entertainment / pass time. A significant mean difference was found for the information need segment ( Z = -5,66 p < 0,01 ). For the entertainment / pass time need segment no significant mean difference was found.

4.3 Conclusions

In this paragraph, conclusions will be drawn from the research results for both study 1 and study 2 on social media news interaction pattern value. Paragraph 4.3.1 will focus on drawing conclusions for the first study, aimed at answering the question what the value of social media news interaction patterns is for online news publishers. Paragraph 4.3,2 will focus on drawing conclusions for the second study, aimed at answering the question what the value of social media news interaction patterns is for users of online news.