Understanding the effect of the discrepancy between sought and obtained gratification on social networking site users' satisfaction and continuance intention

The primary purpose of this study was to explore whether the discrepancy between gratifications obtained (GO) and gratifications sought (GS) from social networking sites (SNSs) affected users' satisfaction and continuance intention. The study was guided by the uses and gratifications theory along with the functional approach. It examined the role of SNS use habits in predicting an underlying psychological process that helped initiate and maintain SNS use. Data were collected via a diary survey; responses were collected from 265 adults. A path model revealed that socialization, social support, and entertainment GO-GS discrepancies had significant impacts on satisfaction with SNS use. Satisfaction with SNS use had a significant impact on SNS continuance intention. A multi-group comparison showed that media use habits negatively moderated the effect of GO-GS discrepancy on satisfaction. In the low-habit group, socialization, convenience, social support, information, entertainment, and escapism GO-GS discrepancies had significant positive impacts on satisfaction; in the high-habit group, only socialization, social support, and entertainment GO-GS discrepancies had significant positive impacts on satisfaction. The relationship between satisfaction and continuance intention significantly decreased in the high-habit group, indicating the negatively moderating role of habitual SNS use. The study highlights the importance of habitual SNS use in the achievement of SNS user retention.