Why People Share Information in Social Network Sites? Integrating with Uses and Gratification and Social Identity Theories

Abstract

Social network sites (SNSs) have been drastically increasing in use in recent years and can be cited as a communication tool with diversified forms in comparison with existing media. People are conducting various activities including relaxing entertainments, information sharing, escapism, social interaction, habitual pass time and others through the use of the SNSs. However, people have various motivation when using SNSs, with information sharing drawning a lot of organizational attention. Therefore, this study aims to ascertain motivational factors of SNSs that influence information sharing and conduct empirical analysis based on use and gratification theories and social identity theory. Factors influencing motivation of use of SNSs were divided into self-expression, involvement, interaction and media structure, and analysis was conducted to determine effects on continuance SNSs motivation. Our analysis results show that involvement had the greatest effect on continuance motivation and that remaining factors were also significant. In addition, continuance motivation turned out to have a significant effect on information sharing.