Specific social media behaviors have been found to be differentially associated with adjustment outcomes; however, the extant research has yet to consider the motivations behind why adolescents engage in these specific behaviors. This study examined the role of two developmentally relevant motivational correlates (social goals and pubertal status) on four social media behaviors (self-disclosure, self-presentation, social monitoring, and lurking) and two time-based measures of social media use (daily number of hours on social media and frequency of social media use). Self-report data were collected from 426 middle-school students (54.2% female, 73.6% White, 11.5% Black, 4.8% Hispanic, 10.1% other ethnicity, and mean age = 12.91). Social goals and pubertal status were distinctly associated with different social media behaviors, with some relevant sex differences. Popularity goal was positively associated with all six measures of social media engagement, although the associations for self-presentation and social monitoring were stronger for girls. Sex differences in lurking followed the same pattern but did not reach significance. Acceptance goal was associated with fewer hours spent on social media for girls only. Early developers reported more self-disclosure and lurking behaviors, and marginally more social monitoring (girls only). These findings indicate the importance of identifying motivational factors, especially social goals, when considering early adolescents’ social media behaviors.

已发现特定的社交媒体行为与调整结果存在差异性；然而，现有的研究尚未考虑青少年从事这些特定行为的动机。本研究考察了两种与发展相关的动机相关因素（社会目标和青春期状态）对四种社交媒体行为（自我表露、自我展示、社会监控和潜伏）和两种基于时间的社交媒体使用量度（每日社交媒体上的小时数和社交媒体使用频率）。自我报告数据来自 426 名中学生（54.2% 的女性，73.6% 的白人，11.5% 的黑人，4.8% 的西班牙裔，10.1% 的其他种族，平均年龄 = 12.91）。社会目标和青春期状态与不同的社交媒体行为明显相关，有一些相关的性别差异。人气目标与社交媒体参与度的所有六项指标均呈正相关，尽管女孩的自我展示和社会监控相关性更强。潜伏的性别差异遵循相同的模式，但没有达到显着性。接受目标仅与女孩在社交媒体上花费的时间减少有关。早期的开发人员报告了更多的自我披露和潜伏行为，以及略微更多的社会监控（仅限女孩）。这些发现表明，在考虑早期青少年的社交媒体行为时，确定动机因素，尤其是社会目标的重要性。尽管对于女孩来说，自我展示和社会监督的关联性更强。潜伏的性别差异遵循相同的模式，但没有达到显着性。接受目标仅与女孩在社交媒体上花费的时间减少有关。早期的开发人员报告了更多的自我披露和潜伏行为，以及略微更多的社会监控（仅限女孩）。这些发现表明，在考虑早期青少年的社交媒体行为时，确定动机因素，尤其是社会目标的重要性。尽管对于女孩来说，自我展示和社会监督的关联性更强。潜伏的性别差异遵循相同的模式，但没有达到显着性。接受目标仅与女孩在社交媒体上花费的时间减少有关。早期的开发人员报告了更多的自我披露和潜伏行为，以及略微更多的社会监控（仅限女孩）。这些发现表明，在考虑早期青少年的社交媒体行为时，确定动机因素，尤其是社会目标的重要性。