Guided by the Uses and Gratifications (U&G) perspective, this study examined the influence of
unwillingness to communicate, loneliness, Internet-use motives, and Internet (CMC) use and interaction
(amount and types of use and self-disclosure) in online communication satisfaction and online
relationship closeness. There were 261 participants in this study. Overall, participants who perceived
their face-to-face communication to be rewarding, used CMC for self-fulfillment, and disclosed their
personal feelings to others tended to feel close to their online partners. Moreover, those who used the
Internet for purposes of self-fulfillment and affection and intended to disclose their feelings to others
felt satisfied with their online communication. The associations among the constructs extend our
knowledge of the U&G theoretical model, how and why people communicate interpersonally in
CMC settings, and the influence of individual differences on CMC for relational communication.
2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.