How is the effect of social media on intention to outdoor recreations? A study using personal social connections as a moderator

Abstract

Many researchers have identified positive effects of social media to improve recreation quality. At that time, more people recognized to be involved in social media have lower motivation for outdoor activities. Here we see two-way effects of social media, positive and negative, to participation of outdoor activities. In this study, a two-path model was built on the basis of value-expectation theory and motivation theory, and a moderating effect of social connection was considered. In this study, PLS technique (partial least square) was used to verified the model. Finally, this study finds that using social media for promoting outdoor leisure activities may have both positive and negative effects on the intention to participate. However, considering participants' social connections, engaging in social media can enhance the intention to participate in outdoor leisure activities, especially for those with high levels of social connections. In the post-pandemic era, where people have become accustomed to working from home or completing various tasks online, these research findings hold significant implications for promoting outdoor leisure activities in the post-pandemic era.