The purpose of this study was to create a conceptual framework and to collect some pilot data in order to underpin future resea rch on how the Vietnamese use Facebook in their day-to-day lives. A number of key points were observed in this study, which informed the framework. Firstly, there is a paucity of research on this topic, that Facebook users in Vietnam (population 90 million) rank as some of the heaviest consumers in the world, and Vietnamese cultural traditions and values need to be acknowledged given these differences when compared to other nations and how this might influence Facebook use. Given the studies focus on users, the theory on “uses and gratifications” was employed in order to understand how Facebook satisfies the needs of its Vietnamese users. An important component in this theory is the way in which Facebook allows posting of material related to the enhancement of the “self”, which has the potential to satisfy ego driven needs in the form of narcissism. However, narcissism and its links with Facebook have only recently been systematically studied in Asian countries, predominately in China. In conclusion, the conceptual framework and analysis of the pilot data produced a number of interrelated constructs (e.g. socializing, social enhancement, entertainment) that provide a baseline or foundation from which a longer-term program of empirical research can be conducted on Facebook use in Vietnam1.
Vietnamese Internet users rank as some of the heaviest consumers of Facebook in the world. To date, we could only find two studies that have investigated this large, growing and increasingly-influential market. One of these studies investigated the security and trust concerns of Vietnamese social network users [
Given the paucity of research on Facebook users in Vietnam it is important that future research explore the unique nature of Vietnamese culture, and what influence this might have on Facebook user behaviors. The concept of culture has long defied definition, however, for the purpose of this study we define it as a society’s leading thought patterns, modes of behaviour, beliefs and customs, or more simply the “unwritten rules of society” [
Research indicates that differences between Western and Asian samples are likely to arise when investigating social media use. One of the main differences here is the nature of identity formation [
As a collectivist society, theoretically Vietnamese Facebook users are more likely to interact with it in ways that are going to be unlike their individualistic counterparts. Cultural background (e.g. collectivist versus individualistic) will also influence the narcissistic tendencies that are likely to emerge when using social media [
There is evidence to suggest that the way in which Asian people use the Asian social networking site Renren, which has a similar platform to Facebook, are more collectivistic in their behaviours, so that users perform more benevolent, conformity-oriented, hierarchical and less egalitarian ingroup sharing [
Social media such as Facebook, has many different definitions. Here it is defined as Web 2.0 applications enabling the creation, editing and dissemination of user-gener- ated content [
One area of research interest has been on the relationship between personality traits and Facebook use. For example, narcissism has become a commonly investigated trait. A narcissist is someone who possess an inflated view of self―an overblown sense of self-importance, they are often preoccupied with fantasies of success, brilliance, beauty and ideal love. They see themselves as better than others, are always on the look out to promote themselves to others in order to be seen in a positive light and often have problems in their relationships as they have little regard for others, unless they can benefit from them in some way [
Investigations analysing the links between social networking and personality traits continue to increase as they provide insights on how individual differences are likely to influence the way people use these technologies [
Understanding the uses and gratifications of Facebook also has the potential to provide a deeper understanding of how people relate to others and if these online relations constitute a marker for distress and possible mental illness [
Differences in uses and gratifications have been found to occur along cultural lines [
Cross-cultural research on Facebook, related personality traits and how narcissistic tendencies are likely to manifest is still at a fledgling stage. Research linking personality traits (individual differences) with the uses and gratifications of social media have tended to be limited to Western samples [
Our analysis of the literature indicates that very little research has been conducted on Facebook use in Vietnam, and that what has been conducted is less than comprehensive. Given its popularity in Vietnam, future research has the potential to better understand the types of values that Facebook users internalise and how this might shape the formation of self-identity (e.g. does Facebook reinforce traditional Vietnamese values or does it influence the internalisation of newer less traditional values). Studying Facebook use also has the potential to test if the culture of narcissism is becoming an emerging phenomenon in Vietnam in the same way it has in the United States, as young people in Vietnam are being increasingly exposed to Western values through the consumption of Western media. If narcissism is found to be a growing personality trait in Vietnam, what are the implications for people’s relationships and the health and wellbeing that flow from these.
A future study on Facebook uses and gratifications in Vietnam is required in order to provide a baseline or foundation from which a longer-term program of empirical research can be conducted. To begin with this requires a larger random sample that goes beyond the two previous studies that have been carried out on this topic in Vietnam [
From the synthesis of the literature 17 discrete but interrelated constructs were identified. These include: “Socialising” [
Given some of the important issues around Facebook use and narcissism that have been identified in this paper, the conceptual framework has been designed to examine how its various components are linked to social media use [
McCauley, B., Gum- bley, S., Merola, G., McDonald, M. and Do, T. (2016) Facebook in Vietnam: Uses, Gratifications & Narcissism. Open Journal of So- cial Sciences, 4, 69-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jss.2016.411006
I use Facebook to:
Socializing (Park et al. 2009)
To get peer support from others
To meet interesting people
To feel like I belong to a community
To talk about something with others
To stay in touch with people I know
Purposeful Value (Cheung et al. 2011)
To get information
To learn how to do things
To provide others with information
To contribute to a pool of information
To generate ideas
To negotiate or bargain
To get someone to do something for me
To solve problems
To make decisions
Social Enhancement (Cheung et al. 2011)
To impress
To feel important
Entertainment (Cheung et al. 2011)
To be entertained
To play
To relax
To pass time away when bored
Managing long-distance relationships (Tosun 2012)
To reconnect with people you’ve lost contact with
To find out what old friends are doing now
To maintaining relationships with people you may not get to see very often
To find people you have not seen for a while
To connecting with people you otherwise would have lost contact with
To keep in touch with friends living in long-distances
Initiating romantic relationships (Tosun 2012)
For online dating
To meet new romantic partners
To open up my romantic feelings to someone that I would not say in person
Establishing new relationships (Tosun 2012)
To meet likeminded people
To find new friends
To meet with people who are more interesting than the people whom you meet face to face
Affection (Quan-Haase & Young 2010)
To thank people
To let people know I care about them
To show others encouragement
To help others
To show others that I am concerned about them
Share problems (Quan-Haase & Young 2010)
Because I need someone to talk to or be with
Because I just need to talk about my problems sometimes
To forget about my problems
Social information (Quan-Haase & Young 2010)
To feel involved with what’s going on with other people
Escapism (McCauley 2014)
So I can escape from reality
So I can get away from what I am doing
So I can forget about work/study
Because it helps me unwind
Procrastination (Myrick 2015)
To find an excuse for not doing something else.
To postpone starting in on things I don’t like to do.
To avoid doing an unpleasant task or activity.
Flow (Chang & Zu 2012) I feel time passes quickly
I never think of other things
I am entirely absorbed
Narcissism Measures (Leung 2013) Authority/superiority
1. I am an extraordinary person.
2. I can usually talk my way out of anything.
3. I see myself as a good leader.
4. I am more capable than other people.
5. I know that I am good because everybody keeps telling me so.
6. I have a natural talent for influencing people.
7. I would prefer to be a leader.
Exhibitionism
8. I like to be complimented.
9. I insist upon getting the respect that is due me.
10. I like to be the center of attention.
Exploitativeness
11. I find it easy to manipulate people.
12. I will never be satisfied until I get all that I deserve.
13. I can make anybody believe anything I want.
Vanity
14. I like to look at my body.
15. I like to look at myself in the mirror.
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