There has been an abundance of research on social media, but to date, no one has asked in a comprehensive way: why do people share? The Psychology of Sharing reveals groundbreaking research that fills this knowledge gap.
This is very interesting to read and sparks some thoughts about news audiences and how to most effectively interact with them. Just keep in mind that the people doing this study came not so much from a service mentality, as in journalism, as they did from a business mentality, as in marketing. That does not invalidate the findings, but colors some of their narrative/descriptions as being more about how to take advantage of or manipulate it rather than just contribute to it.
Direct download link for the report in PDF
The five sharing motivations:
• To bring valuable and entertaining content to others
• To define ourselves to others
• To grow and nourish relationships
• Self fulfillment
• To get the word out about causes and brands
The six sharing personas:
• Altruists
• Careerists
• Hipsters
• Boomerangs
• Connectors
• Selectives
