Determinants of users’ continuance of social networking sites: A self-regulation perspective

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Abstract

Social networking sites (SNS) have transformed how individuals interact, build and maintain social relationships. We proposed a research model on the determinants of user continuance using Bagozzi's framework of self-regulation as the theoretical foundation. Following the process of appraisal  emotional reactions  coping responses, we developed the model by leveraging findings from social presence and IS continuance research. Based on survey data from Facebook users, we found that appraisal factors (pleasure, awareness, connectedness, and system quality) were strong determinants of emotional reaction (user satisfaction and sense of belonging). User satisfaction and sense of belonging together positively influenced continuance intention.

Introduction

The use of social media such as social networking sites (SNS) and blogs has become ubiquitous. The number of SNS users has grown exponentially in recent years and individuals are incorporating it as part of routine activities to socially interact with one another. Social media has redefined the ways individuals connect with each other, disseminate information, express themselves, and socialize with others. Through social media like SNS, people are finding new ways to manage and expand their personal network more efficiently and effectively [25], [32].

Among different types of social media, SNS especially have gained tremendous momentum and have revolutionized the way individuals build and maintain interpersonal relationships [8]. A SNS allows individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, to communicate with other users with whom they share a connection, and to view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system [7]. Individuals worldwide have incorporated SNS into their lives and made using SNS a frequent and sometimes daily activity. Many SNS aim at the general population while some may cater to a specific audience or purpose. For example, LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network and MedicalMingle is a SNS created specifically for medical professionals. Among the most popular SNS, Facebook has made a huge and enduring impact in the world. As of March 2012, Facebook reports that there are 901 million monthly active users and on average 526 million daily active users. Indeed, various sources of evidence show that users are spending a great deal of time on SNS and that it has become a significant component of people's daily lives [12].

Due to the undeniable popularity and diffusion of SNS, they have become increasingly interesting and intriguing to researchers. Academics have examined SNS using a variety of methodologies and theoretical underpinnings from multiple disciplines. Researchers have examined topics such as the formation and maintenance of social relationships on SNS [10], [19] and industry competition dynamics [11]. Our study contributes to the literature by focusing on the determinants of SNS continuance. Recent statistics show that the growth of SNS has decelerated and SNS usage has leveled off in recent periods [17]. The second tier networks, such as Tagged and Hi5, are beginning to receive more attention from users as the competition becomes fiercer among SNS providers. Industry analysts have noted that MyYearbook and Tagged users spend more time on these sites than the average MySpace user. According to analytics released by ComScore in 2011, Twitter has proven to be a major competitor of Facebook, as the micro-blogging service has managed to increase its number of regular users by more than 500% since 2009. Thus, the exploration of determinants of SNS continuance is both relevant and timely as it would help reveal the factors that cause users to attach to a SNS. The results can provide insight to SNS service providers regarding the factors that may retain active and regular users and evolve infrequent users into committed ones.

Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the determinants that impact users’ SNS continuance. We aimed to answer the following research question: what and how do determinants collectively affect user satisfaction, sense of belonging, and SNS continuance intention? Specifically, our focus of study centered on SNS established for social communication and interaction in general. We used Bagozzi's framework of self-regulation of attitudes, intention, and behavior [4] as the overarching theoretical framework to establish relationships between the determinants, attitudes, and continuance intention. We applied research findings from social presence and system continuance research to identify the factors in the research model. We empirically tested the model by surveying users from one of the most popular SNS, Facebook. The survey results provided support for the research model and offered insights on the social implications of SNS and the various factors that impact SNS continuance.

The rest of the paper is structured as follows. In Section 2, we discuss the theoretical background which is followed by the research model and hypotheses in Section 3. We then describe the research methodology and present data analysis and results in Sections 4 Research methodology, 5 Data analysis and results respectively. Next, we discuss the research and managerial implications, research limitations, and future research opportunities in Section 6. Finally, we conclude the research in Section 7.

Section snippets

Theoretical background

To investigate the determinants of SNS continuance, we applied Bagozzi's self-regulation framework of attitudes, intentions, and behavior [4] as the overarching conceptual framework to understand the process that users experience leading to SNS continued usage. Bagozzi's framework seeks to understand the interrelationship between cognitive, affective, and conative variables. It posits that attitude generates desire, which then leads to individual behavioral intentions. Specifically, individuals

Research model and hypotheses

Fig. 2 presents the research model and the hypothesized relationships based on Bagozzi's self-regulation framework. The model considers system quality, awareness, connectedness, and pleasure as the appraisal factors, user satisfaction and sense of belonging as the emotional reaction factors, and users’ continuance intention as the coping response.

Sample and data collection

To empirically test the research model and hypotheses, we conducted a Web-based survey of Facebook. Our data sample comes from college students from a state university located in the southeastern United States. The survey was posted on a course webpage over a four-week time frame. We followed a respondent-driven sampling approach [13] for data collection which allows respondents to refer those they know, and these individuals then refer those they know, and so on. We started with an initial

Measurement model

We used the partial least squares (PLS) to analyze the data. PLS is a structural equation modeling technique that simultaneously assesses the reliability and validity of the measures of the theoretical constructs and estimates the relationships among these constructs. The first stage of data analysis analyzed the measurement properties of constructs, which included the estimation of internal consistency (reliability) and the convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs. Table 1

Discussion

The objective of this research was to examine the determinants of users’ SNS continuance intention. We applied Bagozzi's framework [4] as the overarching theoretical foundation and utilized prior research in IS continuance and social presence to identify the factors and develop the research model. We followed the process of appraisal  emotional reactions  coping responses to theorize the relationships in the research model. We found that both satisfaction and sense of belonging are strong

Conclusion

This study examines the determinants of SNS continuance using Bagozzi's framework of self-regulation. Specifically, we discovered that individuals continue to use SNS because they gain satisfaction and a sense of belonging from the usage experience. Further, appraisal factors (pleasure, connectedness, and system quality) are strong determinants of users’ emotional reaction (user satisfaction and sense of belonging). SNS are constantly evolving and becoming ubiquitous; our research contributes

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