Roles of alternative and self-oriented perspectives in the context of the continued use of social network sites

Individuals with a positive evaluation of a target system are likely to continue using the system, and this sustained use is likely to result in continued use. This target-oriented perspective has served as a major conceptual framework for understanding users’ behaviors in online contexts. The primary objective of this paper is to address two additional perspectives—alternative- and self-oriented perspectives—for a firmer understanding of continued use in the context of social network sites (SNS). A research model is built by employing regret and self-image congruity to represent these two perspectives. The model also examines the condition under which habits are formed and how this automatic mechanism influences the dynamics of the nomological network between intentions and behaviors. The analysis results of two rounds of surveys for capturing the actual link between intentions and behaviors indicate that regret and self-image congruity can play crucial roles in post-adoption phenomena in the context of SNS.

► The primary objective of this paper is to understand behaviors in the context of online social network sites. ► Regret and self-image congruity are adopted as key factors. ► Our empirical test with a data set of 349 users reveal the critical roles of regret and self-image congruity in post-adoption phenomena of SNS. ► A conceptual framework is presented to integrate three perspectives – a target, its alternative, and self-oriented – to address the unique nature of SNS services.