Uses and Gratifications of Smartphone Apps among College Students

The rapid proliferation of smartphones has led to the development of mobile applications (apps). This study examined smartphone apps within the uses and gratifications framework to identify what gratifications are satisfied through app use. Using a sample of 590 university students, this study found that interpersonal utility, entertainment, constant availability, information seeking, pass time/diversion, and app self-efficacy were predictors of app use. App self-efficacy was the most prominent predictor of app use in this study. Study results enhanced our theoretical understanding of communication technology use dynamics by extending the concept of self-efficacy to the domain of smartphone app use. Key Words: Smartphones, Smartphone Applications, Mobile Phones, Uses and Gratification, College Students __________________ *Michael Fuller is a doctoral student (ABD) in Communication at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, U.S.A.. His research interests include the role technology plays in exercise and exercise improvement and ways in which technology can be leveraged in sedentary populations to encourage and maintain consistent exercise. **David J. Atkin (Ph.D., Michigan State) is Professor of Communication at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, U.S.A. His research interests include the adoption and use of emerging media, political communication, and telecommunication policy. JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, April 2017, 25 – 36