TAM Constructs Predicting the Use of Mainstream Social Networking Sites by College Students in Kuwait

Abstract

This study applies the model of technology acceptance (TAM) to examine the factors that explain the adoption and intensity of use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat among a sample of college students in Kuwait. The three constructs that represented the predictor variables are perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU) and social influence (SI). Structural equation modelling was applied to analyse the impact and covariance of TAM constructs. Gender was used as a control variable to explain the variance in using Snapchat and Instagram. An 18-item questionnaire was developed and administered to a sample of 919 students at Kuwait University. The results show that Facebook and Twitter were male-dominated, whereas Instagram and Snapchat were female-dominated in the sample. TAM constructs invariably affect the adoption and intensity of using social networking sites. The use of Facebook and Snapchat is significantly explained by PU and PEOU, while the use of Twitter and Instagram is predicted by PEOU. PEOU was the only construct that explained the variance in the use of Twitter. SI was strongly correlated with PEOU and PU.