An Investigation of Facebook Usage by University Students in Saudi Arabia

273 Pages·2015·2.39 MB·English

An Investigation of Facebook Usage
by University Students in Saudi Arabia
Aljasir, S.A.
Submitted version deposited in CURVE March 2016

Original citation:
Aljasir, S.A. (2015). An Investigation of Facebook Usage by University Students in Saudi
Arabia. Unpublished PhD Thesis. Coventry: Coventry University

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http://curve.coventry.ac.uk/open
An Investigation of Facebook Usage by
University Students in Saudi Arabia

By
Shuaa Abdulrahman Aljasir

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of Coventry University’s
requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in
Media and Communication

May 2015
Abstract
Compared with face-to-face communication, Facebook use may provide opportunities
for greater interaction in a relatively uncensored environment. This research aimed to
critically investigate how Saudi university students are using these opportunities. It employs a
theoretical framework drawn from uses and gratifications theory, social penetration theory,
and social role theory.
A mixed methods approach was used over three sequential phases. The research
began with a quantitative questionnaire completed by 372 Saudi university students to
investigate the gratifications they obtained from using Facebook and to identify a typology of
Facebook users. This was followed by thematic and quantitative content analyses of profiles
of a sub-sample of 50 students to explore the status updates they generated and the types of
information they disclosed. To investigate in greater depth the themes that emerged from the
previous phases, a final qualitative interview was conducted with 20 of the students.
The results revealed that, Saudi students used Facebook as a virtual space within
which they engaged in several activities. It allowed for cross-cultural and cross-gender
communication. Facebook also enabled them to be citizen journalists, sharing, discussing,
and analysing current affairs. They as well used Facebook to defend their religious beliefs
and advocate Islamic values. Saudi university students showed that they are willing to
jeopardise the privacy of their personal information to maximise the rewards they obtain from
using Facebook as long as these rewards outweigh the expected costs from such disclosure.
Despite belonging to a gender-segregated society, analysis of gender differences conducted
across all three research phases revealed that the gap between genders in their Facebook
usage is narrower than in offline settings.

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Acknowledgement
This thesis would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of a
number of people. While it is impossible to list every student, faculty, staff, family member, and
friend who made this thesis possible and kept me going throughout, I extend my deepest thanks
and gratitude to everyone who helped in even the smallest way. All of my accomplishments are
as much yours as they are mine.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation and thanks for the mentoring, guidance,
and leadership provided by my thesis committee. They have contributed a great deal to making
this manuscript exist. I appreciate all their contributions that have made my Ph.D. experience
productive and fulfilling. I am also grateful for their patience and continuous encouragement. As
my Director of Studies, Professor Andree Woodcock has provided continual support that has
helped me elevate the quality of this research. Dr. Sandra Harrison, my supervisor, has guided
and critiqued this research from its inception.
I also thank my examiners during my progress review panels: Professor Martin Woolley,
Professor Gary Hall, Professor Tim Sparks, Dr Shaun Hides, and Dr. Mafalda Stasi. Their
invaluable feedback helped me to improve my thesis in many ways. Each one has taught me so
much. A special thanks to Dr. Jane Osmond for lending her insight to my work. I am also grateful
to my colleague Ayman Bajnaid for his help in gathering male participants, conducting focus
groups, and interviewing subjects, which I would not have been able to do by myself.
Above all else, I would like to thank my family for the unbelievable amount of support
they have given me throughout this long journey. Thank you to my mother and father who were
with me through the good times and the tiring ones. Without your love and prayers, I would not
be where I am today. Last, and never least, thank you to my lovely brother and sisters for your
unwavering support over the years and during this process. Your love and support made this work

possible.
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Table of Contents
Abstract ........................................................................................................................... i
Acknowledgement .......................................................................................................... ii
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... iii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................. ix
List of Figures ............................................................................................................... xi
Chapter One: Introduction ........................................................................................... 1
1.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1
1.2. Research Rationale ....................................................................................................... 2
1.3. Research Aim and Objectives ...................................................................................... 5
1.4. Thesis Outline ................................................................................................................ 8
1.5. Concluding Summary ................................................................................................... 9
Chapter Two: Literature Review ................................................................................ 10
2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 10
2.2. Theoretical Framework .............................................................................................. 10
2.2.1. Uses and Gratifications Theory .......................................................................... 10
2.2.2. Social Penetration Theory of Self-Disclosure .................................................... 15
2.2.3. Social Role Theory of Gender Differences......................................................... 18
2.2.4. Synthesising Uses and Gratifications Theory, Social Penetration Theory, and
Social Role Theory ......................................................................................................... 21
2.3. Previous Studies on Facebook.................................................................................... 22
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2.3.1. Facebook-Obtained Gratifications ..................................................................... 22
2.3.2. Status Updates on Facebook ............................................................................... 27
2.3.3. Self-Disclosure on Facebook ............................................................................... 30
2.3.4. Gender Differences in Using Facebook .............................................................. 34
2.3.5. Facebook Usage by Saudis .................................................................................. 38
2.4. Concluding Summary ................................................................................................. 40
Chapter Three: Research Methodology ...................................................................... 43
3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 43
3.2. Research Paradigm and Design ................................................................................. 43
3.3. Research Population ................................................................................................... 44
3.4. Cultural, Linguistic, and Ethical Considerations .................................................... 45
3.4.1. Cultural Considerations ...................................................................................... 45
3.4.2. Linguistic Considerations .................................................................................... 45
3.4.3. Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................ 47
3.5. Research Phases .......................................................................................................... 48
3.5.1. Phase One: Quantitative Questionnaire Phase ................................................. 48
3.5.1.1. Informing the Questionnaire Construction ................................................ 49
3.5.1.2. Description of the Questionnaire ................................................................. 53
3.5.1.3. Pilot Study of the Questionnaire .................................................................. 54
5.5.1.3.1. Reliability of the Questionnaire ............................................................ 55
3.5.1.3.2. Validity of the Questionnaire ................................................................ 57
3.5.1.4. Administration of the Questionnaire .......................................................... 58
3.5.2. Phase 2: Content Analysis Phase ........................................................................ 59
3.5.2.1. Thematic Content Analysis .......................................................................... 60
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3.5.2.2. Quantitative Content Analysis ..................................................................... 60
3.5.2.3. Inter-rater Reliability for the Content Analysis ........................................ 62
3.5.2.4. Data Collection in the Content Analysis Phase .......................................... 65
3.5.3. Phase 3: The Interview Phase ............................................................................. 66
3.5.3.1. Interview Questions ...................................................................................... 67
3.5.3.2. Pilot Study of the Interviews ........................................................................ 69
3.5.3.3. Administration of the Interviews ................................................................. 69
3.5.3.4. Analysis of Interview Transcripts ............................................................... 70
3.6. Concluding Summary ................................................................................................. 71
Chapter Four: Phase One: Analysis and Discussion .................................................. 73
4.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 73
4.2. Demographic Background of the Sample ................................................................. 73
4.3. Facebook Usage ........................................................................................................... 76
4.3.1. Years of Experience and Time Spent on Facebook .......................................... 77
4.3.2. Facebook Network Size ....................................................................................... 80
4.3.3. Facebook Accessibility ......................................................................................... 81
4.3.4. Facebook Profile Names and Photos .................................................................. 84
4.4. Facebook-Obtained Gratifications ............................................................................ 87
4.4.1. Facebook-Obtained Gratification Factors ......................................................... 87
4.4.2. Gender Differences in Facebook-Obtained Gratifications .............................. 97
4.5. Typology of Facebook Users ...................................................................................... 98
4.6. Concluding Summary ............................................................................................... 106
Chapter Five: Phase Two: Results and Discussions ................................................. 109
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5.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 109
5.2. Status Updates on Facebook Profiles ...................................................................... 110
5.2.1. Themes of Facebook Status Updates ................................................................ 111
5.2.2. Gender Differences in Facebook Status Updates ............................................ 128
5.2.3. Relationship between Facebook Status Updates and Obtained
Gratifications ................................................................................................................ 129
5.3. Relationships between Facebook Status Update and Levels of Online
Disclosure .......................................................................................................................... 133
5.3.1. Information Disclosed on Facebook ................................................................. 134
5.3.1.1. Disclosure of Basic Personal Identifying Information on Facebook .......... 134
5.3.1.2. Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information on Facebook .................... 137
5.3.1.3. Disclosure of Potentially Stigmatizing Personal Information on
Facebook ................................................................................................................... 139
5.3.2. Gender Differences in the Information Disclosed on Facebook .................... 143
5.3.3. Relationship between Status Updates and the Levels of Disclosure.............. 144
5.4. Concluding Summary ............................................................................................... 148
Chapter Six: Phase Three: Results and Discussion .................................................. 149
6.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 149
6.2. Compatibility of Facebook with Saudi Culture ..................................................... 150
6.2.1. Consideration of Deactivating/Deleting Facebook Accounts ......................... 150
6.2.2. Saudi Social Media Platform vs. Facebook ..................................................... 153
6.2.3. Compatibility of Facebook Usage with Saudi Culture ................................... 155
6.2.4. Positive and Negative Aspects of Facebook ..................................................... 157
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6.3. Reasons for Disclosing Personal Information on Facebook and Users’ Privacy
Concerns ........................................................................................................................... 162
6.3.1. Reasons for Disclosing Personal Information on Facebook ........................... 162
6.3.2. Privacy Concerns on Facebook......................................................................... 163
6.4. Discussing Social and Political Issues through Facebook ..................................... 164
6.5. Concluding Summary ............................................................................................... 166
Chapter Seven: Conclusion ....................................................................................... 168
7.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 168
7.2. Research Aim, Objectives, and Main Findings .................................................. 168
7.3. Contribution of the Research ................................................................................... 174
7.3.1. Theoretical Contributions ................................................................................. 175
7.3.2. Methodological Contributions .......................................................................... 175
7.3.3. Practical Contributions ..................................................................................... 176
7.4. Limitations of the Research ..................................................................................... 176
7.5. Recommendations for Future Research ................................................................. 178
7.6. Concluding Remarks ................................................................................................ 178
References .................................................................................................................. 180
Appendices ................................................................................................................. 204
Appendix A: Previous Facebook-Obtained Gratifications Studies Table .................. 205
Appendix B: Ethics Approval Forms ............................................................................. 213
Appendix C: Participant Information Sheets................................................................ 220
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Appendix D: Informed Consent Form ........................................................................... 237
Appendix E: Final Draft of Facebook Usage and Gratifications Questionnaire ....... 240
Appendix F: Facebook Profile Checklist ....................................................................... 252
Appendix G: The Semi-Structured Interview Questions ............................................. 255
Appendix H: Microsoft Product Reaction Cards Toolkit ............................................ 258

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