Award Date

12-1-2013

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Journalism and Media Studies

First Committee Member

Lawrence Mullen

Second Committee Member

Paul Traudt

Third Committee Member

Gregory Borchard

Fourth Committee Member

Michael Borer

Number of Pages

103

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between Facebook and Twitter uses and gratifications and religiosity. Non-denominational Christian mega churches focus their outreach programs on a "come-as-you-are" attitude with the hopes of making people feel comfortable. The interactive technology in our daily lives also infiltrates our experience at church. The congregation now has the ability to worship through technologies endorsed by leadership (Watson & Scalen, 2008; Bogomilova, 2004; Thomas, 2009). In order for churches to engage in effective communication, they must understand how people use social networking. Through survey methodology, the researcher takes an account of how people use media in their involvement as members, so that effective member programs can be implemented to attract and maintain parishioners. The appropriate theoretical approach for this study is uses and gratification because parishioners are able to express how their social media use interacts with their personal religiosity. This study found correlations between faith commitments and uses among Facebook and Twitter. These correlations help build the uses and gratifications theory within the constructs of religion.

Keywords

Big churches; Facebook; Mass communication; Mass media in religion; Mega church; Religion; Religiousness; Social media; Twitter; Uses and gratification theory

Disciplines

Christianity | Communication Technology and New Media | Mass Communication | Religion

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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