The Drivers and Effects of Relational Intimacy on Social Networking Sites: A Case Study of Facebook

• Main Authors: Chu My Giang, 周美江
• Other Authors: Lin, Yu-Hsun
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/z6349q

碩士 === 明志科技大學 === 經營管理系碩士班 === 105 === Social network websites have flourished since the age of Web 2.0. These websites are created specifically for people to online socially connected and interacted with one another, on a particular subject or simply emotion sharing. The success of such online services has received a considerable amount of criticism. In fact, there is extreme comment derived from the criticism that social network sites (SNS) are used by operators as a tool to keep users in front of the screens in order to enhance market control and competitiveness. Driving the users to revisit the SNS is therefore a critical issue for operators to retain the competitive. to understand the affective behavioral patterns for SNS users to prolong to the website. By conceptualizing the intimacy regards an individual user’s feeling of closeness, emotional bonds and sense of belonging with other users and social network websites, the aim of this study is to explore the drivers and effects of intimacy on social network websites from the perspectives of uses and gratifications, and related trust and loyalty intention outcomes. The data via surveys collected from Facebook users in Taiwan and Vietnam regions. A total of 788 samples has been received for data analysis. The results of the data analysis support several findings: (1) the uses and gratifications including entertainment, social surveillance, recognition, network extension provided by Facebook significantly influenced users’ intimacy with the web services. (2) Facebook gratifications including emotional support, social surveillance, recognition, network extension significantly influenced users’ intimacy with other users. (3) The intimacy with Facebook is a significant variable affects users’ trust and loyalty intention at Facebook. (4) The intimacy with other users is a significant variable affects users’ trust and loyalty intention with Facebook friends. The findings of this study provide insights for both academics and practitioners regarding the potential implications, which serve as useful sources for researchers and managers to understand how intimacy on social network websites might enrich and enhance online interactions with customers.