Validating the Gratifications Associated with the Use of the Smartphone and the Internet by University Students in Chile, Ecuador and Spain

ABSTRACT

The pervasiveness of the smartphone and the Internet among young university students can cause both benefits and problematic behaviour mediated by the motivations of the users. This study, using the Uses and Gratifications (U&G) approach and through a quota sampling of university students in Chile (n = 350), Ecuador (n = 350) and Spain (n = 350), sought to identify the gratifications that obtain when using smartphones to access the Internet. The multigroup analysis of invariance showed the moderation of the student’s cultural context. These findings imply that the analysis of the gratifications associated with the use of smartphones and the Internet should focus both on the technology itself and on the cultural context of the users.

KEYWORDS:

• Acceptance of technology
• internet use
• uses and gratifications theory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ramón Tirado-Morueta

Ramón Tirado-Morueta is Principal Lecturer in the Department of Pedagogy at the University of Huelva, Spain. His research focuses on educational technology and digital literacy. 

Andrés García-Umaña

Andrés García-Umaña is professor in Department of Design, Science of Education and Communication at the Pontífica Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Ecuador. He is research coordinator and his research focuses on intercultural education.

Santiago Mengual-Andrés

Santiago Mengual-Andrés is Lecturer at the Comparative Education and Education History Department at the University of Valencia. He is currently Vicedean of Research, Innovation and Quality.