Why do people participate in social applications?

from iLibrarian by Ellyssa

The Forrester analysts at Groundswell discuss the top reasons that people take part in social activity online. These motivations are important to keep in mind when designing your own online social environment. Here are their top motives:

• Keeping up friendships
• Making new friends
• Succumbing to social pressure from existing friends
• Paying it forward
• The altruistic impulse
• The prurient impulse
• The creative impulse
• The validation impulse
• The affinity impulse