ABSTRACT
Drawing on the person-environment fit model, this study investigates a user’s perceptions towards his/her online contacts’ overuse, underuse, and change of use of a social media site (SMS). A new instrument for measuring these perceptions is introduced. Using depersonalisation and continuance as an example, we test how the relationship between a user and an SMS can be impacted by his/her online contacts’ peculiar usage of the SMS. A survey-based methodology is used to collect data from Facebook users. The data analysis shows that a user is likely to feel estranged from an SMS, if he/she perceives that the website is being overused, underused, or used for non-social purposes by his/her online contacts. The depersonalisation can then have a strong negative effect on the user’s SMS continuance. This study takes the interpersonal influences between users into consideration when investigating a user’s relationship with an SMS. The findings can provide several practical implications for an SMS user retention management.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.