Social Networking Site Use, Positive Emotions, and Job Performance

ABSTRACT

With the increasing use of social networking sites, within and outside work hours, it is reasonable to ask whether that use has any impact on job performance and why. This study draws on the technology acceptance model and theory of positive emotions to develop an extended theoretical model centered on social networking site use. We focus on use, but not excessive use, recognizing that negative outcomes may result from social networking site addiction. The model incorporates predictors of social networking site use as well as organizational effects of this use, including its effect on job performance. To conduct an initial test of the model we collected and analyzed data from 178 Facebook users. While we investigated Facebook use in general, within and outside work hours, our results control for the existence of policies limiting social network site use at work. The analysis employed factor-based structural equation modeling using the software WarpPLS. The results suggest that positive emotions related to the use of social networking sites, in terms of increased job satisfaction and organizational commitment, are associated with increased job performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Social networking sites
• broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions
• job satisfaction
• organizational commitment
• job performance
• structural equation modeling