Creation of the Purposes of Online Memory Sharing Scale

Abstract

I describe in this article the creation of the Purposes of Online Memory Sharing Scale (POMSS). I provide an overview of the theoretical and empirical backgrounds against which the scale was developed. I then present data from a pilot sample that indicate that the scale as a whole is a reliable measure of the reasons for which people share their experiences online. In addition, three of the subscales - Self, Social, and Therapeutic ГўВҖВ“ showed acceptable to excellent internal consistency reliability in the pilot sample, whereas the Directive subscale had poor internal consistency and should be used with caution. The various purposes of online memory sharing positively predicted the frequency of memory-sharing activities, which lends support for the validity of the scale. The Purposes of Online Memory Sharing Scale (POMSS) provides a useful tool for researchers to examine memory expression and communication in the digital age.