Ishii, Kenichi. "Uses and gratifications of online communities in Japan." Observatorio (OBS*) 2.3 (2008): 25-37.

A 2005 survey in Tokyo with 455 participants explored motives behind using online communities, identifying four main factors: self-disclosure, socializing, information seeking, and entertainment, accounting for 67% of the variance. Self-disclosure, negatively correlated with age, emerged as a significant motive related to positive attitudes towards virtual relationships and social networking use. This study conceptualizes motives into ritualized/instrumental and information/relationship dimensions, highlighting the importance of the ritualized, relationship-oriented motive of self-disclosure, a topic previously underexplored.