MOTIVATIONS BEHIND ONLINE SELF-DISCLOSURE: THE ROLE OF MONETARY REWARDS, RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT, AND SUBJECTIVE NORMS AMONG PAKISTANI UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Online self-disclosure is increasingly shaped by evolving digital incentives and social dynamics, yet the role of perceived benefits and social influence remains underexplored, particularly in non-Western contexts. The paper explores the effect of monetary rewards and relationship management on online self-disclosure among University students in Pakistan, and the moderating role played by subjective norms. It is a quantitative study with data collected through a survey of 443 individuals and relationships analyzed by using PLS-SEM. The results indicate that monetary rewards as well as relationship management are found to have a significant and positive effect on online self-disclosure, with relationship management appearing to have the strongest predictive value. Additionally, subjective norms moderate both positively and negatively; that is, strengthening the influence of monetary incentives and weakening the effect of relationship-based disclosure. These findings shed light on how motivational and normative forces interact to influence digital behavior and contribute to new economic incentives that are culturally anchored with social forces.