The Implications of Social Influence Theory on Continuance Intention for Social Networking Among Chinese University Students

Abstract

A better understanding of users' continuance intention towards social networking services (SNSs) gives SNS providers greater insight to reducing turnover rate of their users. Drawing on social influence theory, this study develops a theoretical model to investigate users' continuance intention towards SNSs within the context of China. Specifically, this model examines how sociability and social overload mediate the impact of subjective norms, peer effects and social identity on continuance intention. Data of 286 Chinese university students were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed by the partial least square method. Results reveal that although subjective norms have an insignificant impact on continuance intention, both peer effects and social identity positively impact continuance intention, and their impacts are partially mediated by sociability and social overload. The findings highlight the importance of peer effects and social identity, the positive role of sociability and the negative role of social overload in determining continuance intention.