Study: The Four Types of Facebook Users

A new study on how people use Facebook found that there are four broad types of users of the massive social network. They are: "relationship builders"; "window shoppers"; "town criers"; and "selfies." The study authors from the School of Communication at Brigham Young University said that while users may have traits of different categories, they are generally mostly one type.

• Relationship builders -- These people use Facebook to strengthen existing relationships with friends and family, providing a way to communicate and stay in touch with people in their life. They tend to post and view a lot of pictures and videos, comment on images and posts others have shared, and engage in conversations.

• Window shoppers -- These users see Facebook as an inescapable part of modern life and participate out of a "sense of social obligation." They rarely share personal information, post photos or write updates, and don't do much liking or commenting. One researcher described Window Shoppers' use of Facebook as "the social-media equivalent of people watching."

• Town criers -- These people see Facebook as a soapbox, sharing news they think people should know, pushing their point of view on issues, passing along memes, or inviting people to events. But they share very little private information, preferring to tend to their relationships offline.

• Selfies -- Like Relationship Builders, Selfies post a lot of pictures, videos and status updates, but they are doing it primary to call attention to themselves. They crave getting likes and positive comments.