Benevolence trust: a key determinant of user continuance use of online social networks

Abstract

Online social networking (OSN) has attracted increased attention and growing membership in recent years. In this paper, we propose and test an extended and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, including the additional areas of satisfaction, credibility trust, and benevolence trust, using an empirical survey of 676 OSN users to examine the influence of these factors. The results of regression analysis showed that the four key constructs of UTAUT (social influence, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions), as well as satisfaction, credibility trust, and benevolence trust, are all direct determinants of user continuance use of OSN. By comparing the coefficients of regression analysis, the relative importance of each determinant was also demonstrated. Results further indicate that benevolence trust has a much more significant effect on user continuance use of OSN than any other factor. A discussion is offered on the implications of these findings for OSN managers with regard to marketing and operations.