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Social Media Use Social Motivation Assessment

Social Media Use Social Motivation Assessment Test

Understand what drives your social media use in 2 minutes, from connection and belonging to self-presentation. Get a fast, focused snapshot that supports counseling, research, marketing, and career planning.

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Questions: 92 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

10265 views

1110 completions

917 likes

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

6/21

Group Belonging (GB)

Measures how strongly a person is motivated to feel part of a group and gain social recognition through social networks.

Low

Moderate

High

3 – 8: Low | 9 – 15: Moderate | 16 – 21: High

A score of 6 falls in the Low range, suggesting group belonging is a less prominent reason for this person's social media use compared with other motives.

example score

6/21

Self-Presentation (SP)

Measures how strongly a person is motivated to manage impressions and present a desired image through social networks.

Low

Moderate

High

3 – 8: Low | 9 – 15: Moderate | 16 – 21: High

A score of 6 falls in the Low range, suggesting limited focus on curating an image or reputation when using social networks.

example score

9/21

Maintaining and Developing Relationships (MaDR)

Measures the extent to which a person uses social networks to maintain and strengthen existing relationships through communication and interaction.

Low

Moderate

High

3 – 9: Low | 10 – 15: Moderate | 16 – 21: High

A score of 9 falls in the Low range, suggesting social networks are used relatively infrequently as a primary tool for maintaining and developing relationships.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Students and young adults

41%OF USERS

They want to understand whether their social media activity is driven more by staying connected, fitting in, or showing who they are.

Psychologists and counselors

34%OF USERS

They use the quick results to discuss a client’s online behavior and choose practical support strategies.

Marketing and HR specialists

25%OF USERS

They take it to better segment audiences or candidates by what motivates them socially online.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

What You’ll See After You Finish the Test

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.

Practical
Recommendations

Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Detected
Insights

Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Psychologist

Clarify, reflect, and explore right away. Talk through your outcomes, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue environment.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.

Group membership (Gm)

Average

14.1

Normal range

11 — 17.2

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Self-Presentation (S)

Average

13.9

Normal range

11.3 — 16.6

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Maintaining and Developing Relationships (MaDR)

Average

12.6

Normal range

9.7 — 15.4

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures social motives for using social networks across three areas: maintaining relationships, belonging to a group, and self-presentation.

How long does it take to complete?

Completion typically takes about 2 minutes. The questionnaire includes 9 items.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best matches typical behavior on social networks. Use first impressions and avoid overthinking individual items.

How are results interpreted?

Higher scores in a motive indicate that it is a more prominent reason for social network activity. Results describe tendencies and are not a clinical diagnosis.

What are common uses of the results?

Results may inform psychological assessment, counseling goals, and research on online behavior. They may also support career guidance and marketing research when used appropriately.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Methodology for Assessing Social Motivation for Using Social Networks Test

Social Media Use Social Motivation Assessment Test - Symptoms and Signs

cyberpsychology social networks

This brief self-report measure is designed to clarify social motives that may underlie engagement with online social platforms. The Social Media Use Social Motivation Assessment provides a structured way to identify salient interpersonal drivers of social media activity. It was developed with reference to concepts described by Roy F. Baumeister and Mark R. Leary.

The instrument includes 9 items and typically takes about 2 minutes to complete. Items sample motivation domains such as maintaining and strengthening relationships, seeking belonging or group connection, and self-presentation. Results are intended to support clinical interviewing or research by highlighting the relative prominence of these social motivations.

The Social Media Use Social Motivation Assessment may be used as an adjunct to broader assessment when exploring patterns of online behavior and related psychosocial concerns. Interpretation should be integrated with contextual information (e.g., the individual’s goals, stressors, and offline relationships) and should not be used as a stand-alone diagnostic tool.

Author: Mark R. Leary, Roy F. Baumeister

Literature: Nadkarni, A., & Hofmann, S. G. Why do people use Facebook? Personality and Individual Differences. 2012.

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