Date
4-7-2026
Department
School of Communication and the Arts
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Communication (PhD)
Chair
Erin Black
Keywords
TikTok, Uses & Gratification Theory, Young Adults, Media Consumption Motivations, and Engagement Behaviors
Disciplines
Communication
Recommended Citation
Robertson, Jonathan V., "A Qualitative Study of the Uses and Gratifications Theory in TikTok’s Short-Form Video Influence on Users Behaviors and Motivations Among Young Adults in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8149.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8149
Abstract
This qualitative dissertation explored the TikTok consumption and engagement behaviors of young adults aged 18-25. The TikTok social media platform is well-known for its active community of content creators producing high-quality, short-form, eye-catching video content. These videos are tailored to individuals' personal interests, beliefs, and values, shaping users' daily lives. Alternative social media platforms offer similar capabilities; however, they fall short of TikTok's powerful algorithm. The uses and gratifications theoretical framework were specifically selected to help understand why young adults engage with TikTok, how their unique motivations shape their engagement behaviors, and the role TikTok plays in identity development. The research relied on face-to-face, recorded interviews with 45 participants on college campuses, including part-time and full-time college students from various academic disciplines and diverse cultural backgrounds in Pennsylvania's rural and urban areas. The participants voluntarily shared their personal TikTok experiences. The collected data were analyzed using thematic network analysis, with selective coding used to develop themes. Nine primary themes emerged from participants' descriptions: content and algorithmic influence, escapism and entertainment, social connections, information-seeking, self-expression, emotional fulfillment, social validation and feedback, motivational consumption factors, and behavioral and social effects. The research study uncovered numerous gender differences and notable outliers across all primary themes related to the three research questions. This study's findings directly contribute to the field of communication by incorporating human and social media algorithm interactions into the communication narrative.
