The Role of Hedonic Motivation in Influencing TikTok Use and How It Relates to Generation Z Characteristics

Background: TikTok has risen to prominence as a widely favored social media platform for Generation Z (Gen Z). Previous studies showed that the extensive use of TikTok, including by Gen Z, is largely driven by hedonic motivation. This study aims to investigate the hedonic motivation (joy, curiosity, and control) toward focused immersion and behavioral intention to use TikTok and how it relates to the distinctive Gen Z characteristics. Method: The research hypotheses were formulated using the hedonic motivation system adoption model (HMSAM). A total of 321 Indonesian TikTok users aged from 13 to 27 years responded to the study. The research model was evaluated using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) method. Results: Out of seven hypotheses, five were accepted. Joy and curiosity significantly influence behavioral intention to use, either directly or mediated by immersion. The hypotheses that include control as a motivating factor were all rejected. Control did not have a significant influence on immersion and behavioral intention to use TikTok. Conclusion: The study sheds light on the significant roles of curiosity, joy, and immersion in influencing users’ intention to use TikTok while also highlighting the limited influence of control as a motivating factor. How joy and curiosity may contribute to the intention to use TikTok in Gen Z are discussed. A possible explanation of how these findings are related to Gen Z characteristics is also discussed. The findings are anticipated to give platform designers and marketers valuable insights to create more immersive and engaging user experiences, particularly for the Gen Z audience.