Continuance Intention and Personal Use of Social Media - Research Paper Example

Abstract Social networking sites (SNSs) influence different behaviors by users of these online platforms, some leading to their continued use and others to their abandonment. The purpose of this research is to propose that Facebook user behaviour, demographics of the user, psychology, social networking and technology acceptance influence the continuance intention of Facebook. Data collected from 61 Facebook users were used to test the proposed model. The variable constructs together with their indices were used to analyze the data and draw conclusions. The findings revealed that the continuance intention of Facebook was high with the male respondents and increased invariably with the number of friends in the social media. On average most of the respondents agreed that social inclusion, introversion, privacy, utility and satisfaction all contributed to their continued use of Facebook. Self –esteem, social anxiety and narcissism did not however have a great influence on the continued use. Keywords: continuance intention, Facebook user behaviour, demographics of the user, psychology, social networking, technology acceptance, social networking sites.   Introduction User interaction serves to be the primary reasoning of Facebook and other social networking sites. Consequently, users utilize networking websites for social communication, entertainment and commercial purposes. Continuance Intention (CI) refers to the continuous convenience of an information system such as Facebook to users. Thus, the convenience of the Facebook information system forms Facebook Continuance Intention among system users. The review aims to further examination of the motive that drives people to continuance use of Facebook`s network. Firstly, this literature review discusses the Facebook Continuance Intention. In the second part, the review analyses the driving forces behind the use of Facebook concerning user logins, and the demographic influence on the utility of the social networking site. This writing also examines the role of psychology in Facebook Continuance Intention (FCI). Finally, the Review considers social networking and technology acceptance about Facebook. Literature Review Social networking websites are internet services that permit individuals to create a semi-public or public profile in a bounded system. The sites also allow individuals to interact extensively with other users that they share a common network. Furthermore, social networking sites enable users to traverse the connection list of other users to enhance their communication network within the information system. In a social network, the consumer initiates the contact with other users to share common information. In essence, social Websites create a worldwide web to create global community (Quinton & Harridge-March, 2010). Therefore, the individuals can share information regarding common interests, ideas, and activities by logging into the systems multiple times in a day. Therefore, instead of upholding the existing social connections among users, social networking sites also enable users to find more online friends that share mutual interests. Direct messaging services and the posting of information was the primary method of communication among the users of the social sites. The inclusion of voice services in some of the social networking sites has also played a pivotal role in attaining instant feedback whenever users communicate with one another. It is also evident that users also use SNS as a marketing and business tool to create awareness of their products and services besides providing links to the online sites. Therefore, the media use social sites as promotional tools whereas firms and other organizations use SNS as a marketing tool. As a marketing tool, SNS enable businesses to obtain consumer feedback about a particular product or service. Among the existing social networking sites, it is evident that Facebook boasts of the highest number of users (Praveena & Thomas 2014). The developers of Facebook targeted to establish an online platform that could ascertain the constant connection of friends. The situation is different currently as users use Facebook for distinct purposes that surpass the original purpose. Theories such as Reasoned Action, forms the basis of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). In the explanations associated with the acceptance of information systems, the TAM is the most appropriate model. According to the model, there exists a causal relationship between the Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) and Perceived Usefulness (PU) and the usage behavior and intention of the user. However, author Chuttur M.Y (2009) Illustrated in an abstract that the TAM model is inappropriate and outdated, which raises the question of whether a newly updated Technology Acceptance Model will replace it. Chuttur (2009) stated that: “Although TAM is a highly cited model, current observations show that mixed opinions are shared by researchers regarding its theoretical assumptions and practical effectiveness. It is concluded that research in TAM lacks sufficient rigor and relevance that would make it a well-established theory for the IS community” (p. 1). Although this statement is not compatible with previous authors who approve of this method, it is considered the primary model to use to assess the perceived usefulness and ease of use and construct an explicit mapping of how users use and interact with technology such as SNS and information systems. Predominantly, there exists a positive correlation between the Continuance Intention to use Facebook and the Perceived Enjoyment. The Perceived Usefulness refers to the subjective probability of the user that he or she will realize an increase in job performance after using an IS (Praveena & Thomas, 2014). Facebook usage behavior The Continuance Intention of Facebook should depend on the interests of the extent of the utility of users rather than being restricted to the developer's limits. However, even though it is appropriate to grant freedom to the users regarding the extent of the utility of the social platform, it is imperative that the use should not extend beyond positive utility that does not impact adversely on other users, entities or the Facebook organization itself. In the quest to address the needs of users, Facebook developers have introduced several features on the social platform. For instance, Facebook expanded its network to high schools, colleges and workplaces in May 2006. In September 2006, the organization introduced Mini Feed and News Feed to aggregate the profile changes of their friends. The changes also enhanced user privacy by integrating new privacy settings. It was during the same year that Facebook expanded registration to accommodate anyone that had the interest. The company then launched the “Applications” platform in May 2007; followed by the removal of the profile field in July 2007. Ever since the firm opened the SNS to everyone in 2006, the IS has undergone several changes geared towards enhancing user satisfaction and increasing performance (Praveena & Thomas, 2014). The rise in the number of roles performed by Facebook to its users indicates the growth in the scope of the online platform. Facebook and Demographics It is also evident that young users exhibit a higher propensity to use Facebook as compared to their older counterparts. According to research conducted by the American Life Project and the Pew Research Centre's Internet in 2012, the utility of major social media is a common trend among young adults as compared to older individuals. To be precise, 67% of young adults aged between 18 and 29 years utilised Facebook. The SNS was found to be more appealing to women than men (Duggan & Brenner, 2013). In essence, it is evident that Internet users aged below 50 years are more likely to use social networking sites as compared to those that exceed the age group. The research also revealed that individuals that live in urban areas are more likely to use Facebook and other social networking sites than those that live in rural areas. The Function of Psychology in Facebook The correlation between time spent on Facebook by an individual and their self-esteem is negative. Accordingly, people that spend most of their time on Facebook have low self-esteem. Moreover, there exists a positive correlation between the frequency of an individual to log into Facebook and the extrovert personality. The positive correlation is more prevalent in women as compared to males. Therefore, it is evident that certain Facebook activities may cause stress, anxiety, anger, depression and impairment (Fleming, 2013). Apparently, Facebook activities impact on the physical and psychological reactions of an individual prominently. Social Networking Ever since Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook in April 2004, the social networking website has expanded from a networking site meant for Harvard University students to a worldwide networking platform. The extension started with high school networks before extending to all Internet users. Facebook provides an organized web page that allows the users to enter personal information about themselves such as gender, sex, country, political and religious views, birthdays, address, emails, relationship status, interests, favorite music and videos, educational information among other sophisticated personal details. The system users can share their private information with their friends online and manipulate their preferences freely. Considering it being social networking site, Facebook allows users to send and accept the friend request and share information about potential friends and connections. Hence, connecting both ends of user’s actual friends and online friends (Thong, Hong & Tam 2006). Technology Acceptance Constructed on the original constructs of the TAM model by Fred Davis, there is positive correlation between the actual usage of an IS and the intention to use. Moreover, the positive correlation between the perceived usefulness and the perceived practicality of an information system serves to be one of the reasons for the great acceptance and adaptivity of Facebook among users. Evidently, the SNS is useful in maintaining the lasting connection between friends and demands minor experience and expertise to use. Also, the positive relationship between the intention to use and the perceived usefulness of Facebook also explains the acceptance that Facebook has enjoyed from its global users (Thong, Hong & Tam 2006). Discussion Research Questions and Thesis Statement The following research questions guide the research: i. What are the factors that drive people’s continuance use of Facebook network? ii. To what extent do these factors predict the continuance intention of people using Facebook? The aim of the research was to propose that Facebook user behavior, demographics of the user, psychology, social networking and technology acceptance influence the continuance intention of Facebook. Data Analysis and Interpretation Descriptive Characteristics Respondents listed their gender and age then answered specific questions regarding Facebook. Demographic data includes a majority of males at 80% with the average age of users being 21 years. The average number of “friends” in an individual’s network is 277 with only 23 of these being classified as close friends. The average number log-ins by respondents to Facebook each week was 12 times with an average time spent of 13 hours per week. The results were summarized in Table 1. Table 1: Summary of Descriptive Statistics Gender 80% Male Average Age 21 years Average No. Logins to FB/week 12 Average No. Hours on FB/week 13 Average Number of Friends 277 Average Number of Close Friends 23 There is no particular defined relationship between the ages of the respondent and the average continuance intention of using Facebook as indicated in Chart 1 below. Respondents aged 21 years had the lowest average continuance index of 3.4. The male respondents averaged a higher continuance intention index of 4.08, as compared to the female respondents who mastered an average of 3.83. It is illustrated in chart 2 below. There is a brief relationship between the number of Facebook friends and the continuance relation as illustrated in Chart 3. Those with fewer Facebook friends exhibit a lower index as compared to those with many Facebook friends; This is however not linear. Similarly, no clear relationship can be deduced from the number of close friends and the continuance intention of using Facebook. However having close friends motivates the use of Facebook as shown in Chart 4 below. Measurement Model The variable constructs included; social inclusion (sociability), assigned a scale value of 1-5, extraversion with an integer range of 1-25, self-esteem ranging between 0-30, social anxiety 55 - >95, narcissism (boundless), privacy, utility, satisfaction and continuance intention (CI) all having a scale range of 1-5. The variables, their scales and explanations are as in the Table 2 below. Table 2: Variable Measurements Variable name Source/Item Scale values Explanation Social inclusion (sociability) I am well connected socially 1= Strongly disagree; 2= Disagree; 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree Your sense of social connection or disconnection Extraversion Score outcome from Extraversion personality test of 25 items Integer value in range 1-25, where lower values suggest introversion and higher values extraversion Your status as an introvert or extravert Self esteem Score on Rosenberg self-esteem scale The scale ranges from 0-30. Scores between 15 and 25 are within normal range; scores below 15 suggest low self-esteem. (http://www.wwnorton.com/college/psych/psychsci/media/rosenberg.htm) Subject's sense of self-esteem or worth Social Anxiety Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale 55-65 Moderate social phobia; 65-80 Marked social phobia; 80-95 Severe social phobia; Greater than 95 - Very severe social phobia. (http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/disorder/liebowitz/) Subject’s social anxiety as measured on the Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale Narcissism Narcissistic Personality Inventory Between 12 and 15 is average; Narcissists score over 20. (http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/narcissistic.htm) Scale measure of narcissistic personality trait based on Narcissistic Personality Inventory Privacy Privacy in F B is important to me 1= Strongly disagree; 2= Disagree; 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree Likert scale type score where 1 indicates strong disagreement with the notion of privacy being important and 5 indicates strong agreement with the notion of the importance of privacy Utility Facebook is useful to me 1= Strongly disagree; 2= Disagree; 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree System perceived usefulness is important in user acceptance and motivation (TAM). 5 is the strongest positive response, demonstrating that FB is extremely useful to the respondent. Satisfaction Overall, I am a satisfied FB user 1= Strongly disagree; 2= Disagree; 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree User rated overall satisfaction with FB on a Likert scale Continuance Intention (CI) I intend to continue using Facebook 1= Strongly disagree; 2= Disagree; 3 = Uncertain; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree CI as a Likert scale score where 1 indicates strong intent to discontinue and 5 strong intent to continue with Facebook The results of the measurement model described in Table 1, representing means, medians, modes, standard deviations, skew, kurtosis and maximum values are shown in Table 3 below. Table 3: Statistical Analysis Psychology Risk and acceptance Continuance Intention Sociability Extraversion Self Esteem Social Anxiety Narcissism Privacy Utility Satisfaction CI Mean 3.62 13.07 17.03 24.21 14.31 3.98 3.32 3.74 4.03 Median 4.00 12.00 18.00 10.00 14.00 4.00 3.00 4.00 4.00 Mode 4.00 12.00 22.00 5.00 12.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 5.00 Std.Dev. 0.81 3.92 3.95 25.20 2.61 1.02 1.04 0.89 1.09 Skew -0.49 0.55 -0.46 0.84 0.71 -1.00 -0.48 -0.74 -1.22 Kurtosis -0.18 -0.07 -0.70 -1.07 -0.48 0.83 -0.18 1.35 1.15 Max 5.00 23.00 23.00 80.00 20.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 On average most of the respondents agree to social inclusion, represented with a mean, median and mode of 3.62, 4.00 and 4.00. The deviation is negligible (0.81), and the distribution is almost central, just a little skew to the left. On average the respondents can be described as extroverts, indicated by the index of 13.07. However most respondents are introverts, as shown by a mode of 12.0. The standard deviation of extraversion is 3.92, a skew of 0.55 and Kurtosis of -0.07. Most of the respondents have an average self-esteem, indicated by mean, median and mode of 17.03, 18.00, and 22.00. The standard deviation of self-esteem is 3.95 with the distribution just a little bit skewed to the left. The social anxiety of the respondents is small with the mean, median and mode all below 55 which translates to moderate social anxiety. The respondents may not be termed as narcissists. The mean, mode and median are all below 20, which is the threshold. On average most respondents agree to the notion of privacy being important as suggested by the mean, mode and median values that are 3.98, 4.00 and 4.00 respectively. There are however those who do not agree as indicated by a standard deviation of 1.02.The skew value for privacy is -1.00 with a kurtosis of 0.83. Similarly, most of the respondents agree that Facebook is useful to them and are satisfied with Facebook. This is illustrated by the mean, median and mode of 3.32, 3.00, and 4.00 respectively for utility and 3.74, 4.00 and 4.00 for satisfaction. The small standard deviations of -0.48 and -0.74 for utility and satisfaction respectively emphasize the above statement. The continuance intention on average of the respondents is 4.03, with a median of 4.00 and a mode of 5.00. It suggests that most of the respondents indicated a high intent to continue using Facebook and, in fact, the larger proportion strongly agree that they will continue to use Facebook. The continuance intention had a standard deviation of 1.09, with the distribution curve skewed to the left (-1.22). The normal distribution curve of the continuance intention values is shown in chart 4 below. It indicates that the data is normally distributed. From the data collected and the analysis after that, it is found that the continuance intention of Facebook was high with the male respondents and increased invariably with the number of friends (and close) in the social media. On average most of the respondents agreed that social inclusion, introversion, privacy, utility and satisfaction all contributed in a way or the other to their continued use of Facebook. Self –esteem, social anxiety and narcissism did not however have a great influence on the continued use. Hsien-Cheng Lin (2015) found that entertainment, information seeking, and socialization, in particular, are determinants of CI of social media in the collectivistic cultures hence emphasizing on social inclusion as an important factor in the continued use of Facebook. Conclusion Facebook user behaviour, demographics of the user, psychology, social networking and technology acceptance influence and can be used to predict the continuance intention of Facebook. The male respondents exhibited a high index of continuance intention than the female users. CI also increased invariably with the number of friends (and close friends) in the social media. Most of the respondents agreed that social inclusion, psychological factors and technology acceptance factors such as introversion, privacy, utility and satisfaction all contributed in a way or the other to their continued use of Facebook. Self –esteem, social anxiety and narcissism did not however have a great influence on the continued use. The research, however conclusive, had some limitations, majorly in the cluster samples. A very high majority of respondents were male, and could get described as “young users”. This may have led to vague conclusions regarding the influence of age and gender on the continuance intention of Facebook. References Back, M. D., Stopfer, J. M., Vazire, S., Gaddis, S., Schmukle, S. C., Egloff, B., & Gosling, S. D. (2010). 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