Understanding the effects of gratifications on the continuance intention to use WeChat in China: A perspective on uses and gratifications

Accepted Manuscript Understanding the effects of gratifications on the continuance intention to use WeChat in China: A perspective on uses and gratifications

Chunmei Gan, Hongxiu Li PII:

S0747-5632(17)30576-9

DOI:

10.1016/j.chb.2017.10.003

Reference:

CHB 5188

To appear in:

Computers in Human Behavior

Received Date:

04 May 2017

Revised Date:

29 September 2017

Accepted Date:

04 October 2017

Please cite this article as: Chunmei Gan, Hongxiu Li, Understanding the effects of gratifications on the continuance intention to use WeChat in China: A perspective on uses and gratifications, Computers in Human Behavior (2017), doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.10.003

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ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT Title Page [Article title] Understanding the effects of gratifications on the continuance intention to use WeChat in China: A perspective on uses and gratifications Author Details Author 1 Name: Chunmei Gan Department: School of Information Management University/Institution: Sun Yat-sen University Town/City: Guangzhou Country: China Author 2 Name: Hongxiu Li Department: Turku School of Economics University/Institution: University of Turku Town/City: Turku Country: Finland Corresponding author: Chunmei Gan Corresponding Author’s Email: [email protected] Acknowledgments: This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71403301) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (16WKPY35). Biographical Details: [Author 1 bio] Chunmei Gan is an associate professor at School of Information Management, Sun Yat-sen University. She has conducted research on user adoption and post adoption behaviour in the field of social media. She has so far published two books (in Chinese), and has published in Computers in Human Behavior, Scientometrics, Industrial Management & Data Systems, Information Development and International Journal of Innovation Management, as well as Journal of Library Science in China, Journal of the China Society for Scientific and Technical Information and several other top Chinese journals in field of information science and information systems. Her papers have also been presented in international conferences such as PACIS, ECKM and ISPIM. [Author 2 bio] Hongxiu Li is a post-doctoral researcher at Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Finland. She has conducted research on IS adoption and post adoption behaviour in the fields of e-commerce, e-services and mobile services in different research contexts, such as e-learning, online gaming, mobile banking, online travel service, e-retailing, online group shopping as well social media adoption in business. She has published research articles in the journals of Information & Management, Computer & Education, Computers in Human Behavior, Decision Support Systems as well as the most popular international

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT conferences in IS field, such ICIS, PACIS, AMCIS. Abstract: Prior studies have shown that gratifications exert significant effects on the sustained use of an information system by individuals. However, the roles of different gratifications vary in predicting continuance usage in different research contexts. Also, less attention has been paid to how gratifications affect the continuance intention to use WeChat. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of different gratifications on the continuance intention to use WeChat in China. Based on the uses and gratifications theory, a theoretical model is developed, which identifies four types of gratification: hedonic gratification, social gratification, utilitarian gratification and technology gratification. Data were collected via a questionnaire survey from 297 WeChat users in China, and further analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results show that, technology gratification (media appeal) has the greatest effect on the continuance intention to use WeChat, followed by hedonic gratification (perceived enjoyment) and utilitarian gratification (information sharing). Keywords: Uses and gratifications theory, WeChat, Social media, Continuance intention, Motivation Article Classification: Research paper

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Research Highlights     

This study examines the effects of gratifications on continuance intention. Technology gratification affects WeChat users’ continuance intention strongly. Hedonic gratification affects WeChat users’ continuance intention. Utilitarian gratification affects WeChat users’ continuance intention. Social gratification exerts no effect on WeChat users’ continuance intention.

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Understanding the effects of gratifications on the continuance intention to use WeChat in China: A perspective on uses and gratifications Abstract: Prior studies have shown that gratifications exert significant effects on the sustained use of an information system by individuals. However, the roles of different gratifications vary in predicting continuance usage in different research contexts. Also, less attention has been paid to how gratifications affect the continuance intention to use WeChat. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of different gratifications on the continuance intention to use WeChat in China. Based on the uses and gratifications theory, a theoretical model is developed, which identifies four types of gratification: hedonic gratification, social gratification, utilitarian gratification and technology gratification. Data were collected via a questionnaire survey from 297 WeChat users in China, and further analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results show that, technology gratification (media appeal) has the greatest effect on the continuance intention to use WeChat, followed by hedonic gratification (perceived enjoyment) and utilitarian gratification (information sharing). Keywords: Uses and gratifications theory, WeChat, Social media, Continuance intention, Motivation Introduction In recent years, social media like WeChat have gained increasing popularity and deeply changed people’s lives (Gan & Wang, 2015). WeChat (Wéixìn or "微信" in Chinese), launched in 2011 by Tencent, offers multiple services to individuals and organizations, including communication services via text messages and voices as well as social networking services (SNS). The latest report issued by Tencent (2016a) shows that, by the end of the first quarter of 2017, the number of monthly active WeChat users has reached 938 million. Despite its huge user base and the fast-growing market, the service provider (i.e. Tencent) still faces intense competition to retain its users over the long-term due to the availability of other competitors offering similar services in the Chinese market, such as Momo and Ali Wangwang (CNNIC, 2016; Gan, 2016). As Bhattacherjee (2001) stated, attracting users’ initial adoption and use is only the first step in achieving information system (IS) success; retaining their customers is the most vital aspect. Thus, it is meaningful to explore the motivations driving the continued usage of WeChat. In the literature, previous studies have employed different theories to investigate IS continuance, such as expectation-confirmation theory (ECT) (Bhattacherjee, 2001), IS success model (DeLone & McLean, 1992) and flow theory (Csikszentmihalyi & LeFevre, 1989). Prior research has revealed different factors that affect IS continuance, such as satisfaction, enjoyment, perceived user base, habit and emotion (e.g., Basak & Calisir, 2015; Chaouali, 2016; Gan & Li, 2015). Recently, the uses and gratifications (U&G) theory (Katz et al., 1974; Weibull, 1985) in the field of media research has attracted the attention of IS scholars. Some researchers have attempted to explain social media use from the perspective of uses and gratifications (e.g., Gallego, Bueno, & Noyes, 2016; Hsu et al., 2015; Li et al., 2015). Extant research has shown that gratifications have significant impacts on IS users’ sustained use; however, the roles of different gratifications vary in predicting the sustained use of an IS in different research contexts. In addition, though prior research has investigated individuals’ use of WeChat, there is a lack of understanding on

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT how the gratifications impact the continuance intention of individuals to use WeChat. Specifically, 1) what gratifications affect the continuance intention of WeChat users; 2) to what extent do different gratifications influence the continuance intention of WeChat users? To address the above research questions, this study employs U&G theory as the research framework and adopts a deductive-driven approach to examine individuals’ continuance intention to use WeChat in China. A theoretical model was proposed based on the U&G theory, and empirically tested with 297 valid data collected from WeChat users in China. In doing so, this research sheds light on strengthening the roles of different gratifications in affecting IS users’ continuance behavior in the research context of social media. Also, an investigation of factors that construct the gratifications helps understand the dimensions of gratifications in different IS research contexts. Furthermore, this study makes practical contributions concerning the retention of existing social media users. This paper is structured as follows. The next section provides the theoretical background. The research model and hypotheses are then developed in section three. Section four describes the research methodology, followed by data analysis in section five. Section six discusses the results, and section seven concludes the paper with a focus on the theoretical and practical implications as well as the research limitations. Theoretical background First developed in radio communication research, U&G theory has been widely used in the research field of mass communication. It aims to identify the social and psychological motives that drive individuals’ use of a particular media (Leung & Wei, 2000), focusing on why individuals choose one media over other alternatives in order to gratify a variety of needs (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1974). According to the U&G theory, individuals are active in choosing media to meet their requirements. U&G theory provides a nomological research framework without a predefined set of constructs (Li et al., 2015). In the literature, U&G theory has been widely applied in traditional media research as well as in research regarding the Internet. Notable examples include newspaper (Elliott & Rosenberg, 1987), cell phone (Leung & Wei, 2000), television (Babrow, 1987), e-mail (Dimmick, Kline, & Stafford, 2000; Ku, Chu, & Tseng, 2013), instant messaging (Lo & Leung, 2009) and the Internet (Stafford, Stafford, & Schkade, 2004). Recently, a growing number of IS studies have adopted U&G theory to examine user behavior in the context of social media, such as microblogging (Gan & Wang, 2015), Twitter (Coursaris et al., 2013), Facebook (Hsu et al., 2015; Malik, Dhir, & Nieminen, 2016), social network games (Li et al., 2015) and SNS (Chaouali, 2016; Ku et al., 2013). Prior studies have categorized the gratifications gained when using different media. For example, Venkatesh and Brown (2001) found that personal computer adoption at home is motivated by hedonic gratification (fun), utilitarian gratification (utility) and social gratification (status). In recent years, researchers have also identified different types of gratifications associated with using a variety of social media. A study by Xu et al. (2012) revealed hedonic gratification (leisure and affection) and utilitarian gratification (immediate access and coordination) were gained when using SNS. Li et al. (2015) noted utilitarian gratification (achievement), social gratification (social presence and social interaction) and hedonic gratification (fantasy, escapism and enjoyment) were obtained from social network gaming. Another study by Liu et al. (2016) found content gratification (information sharing, self-documentation, and self-expression) and

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT technology gratification (convenience, media appeal and social presence) were derived from the use of microblogging. Table 1 summarizes the recent related studies which applied U&G theory to explore the use of different media. Table 1 Summary of the related studies U&G typology

Media

Study

Hedonic gratification: fun Utilitarian gratification: utility Social gratification: status

Personal computer

Venkatesh & Brown (2001)

Process gratification: search engines, resources, searching, technology, surfing, and Internet websites Content gratification: information, education, knowledge, learning and research Social gratification: chatting, friends, interaction and people

Internet

Stafford et al. (2004)

Utilitarian gratification: immediate access and coordination Hedonic gratification: affection and leisure

SNS

Xu et al. (2012)

Utilitarian gratification: achievement Social gratification: social presence and social interaction Hedonic gratification: fantasy, escapism and enjoyment

Social network game

Li et al. (2015)

Content gratification: information sharing, self-documentation, and selfexpression Technology gratification: convenience, media appeal and social presence

Microblogging

Liu et al. (2016)

In summary, U&G theory has been applied to identity how individual users use media in different contexts. Based on the prior findings, this study employs U&G theory as the theoretical background to investigate the continuance intention to use WeChat in China. First, U&G theory helps to understand media use on the individual level; second, U&G theory is appropriate for studying motives in the context of IS use (Li et al., 2015). Individuals choose to use WeChat to fulfill their various needs voluntarily. Thus, U&G theory is suitable for explaining whether the gratifications obtained from individuals’ prior use of WeChat determines their continuance intention to use WeChat and what the different roles of the specific gratifications are in predicting individuals’ sustained use of WeChat. Building on U&G theory, this study proposes that the gratifications obtained in prior WeChat use will influence individuals’ continuance intention; and four gratifications are suggested for exploring the continuance intention to use WeChat: utilitarian gratification, social gratification, hedonic gratification and technology gratification. Research model and hypotheses Research model The theoretical model is depicted in Figure 1. This study identifies four types of gratification: hedonic gratification (perceived enjoyment and passing time), social gratification (social interaction and social presence), utilitarian gratification (self-presentation, information documentation and information sharing) and technology gratification (media appeal). Constructs derived from various theories, such as motivation theories and communication theory, are considered in the research model in order to capture the different types of gratification.

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT Perceived Enjoyment Hedonic gratification Passing Time H1 Social Interaction Social gratification

H2 H3

Social Presence

H4

Continuance Intention

H5 Self-presentation

H6 H7

Utilitarian gratification

Information Documentation

H8

Information Sharing

Technology gratification

Media Appeal

Figure 1 Research model Previous research has provided evidence that individuals use social media for hedonic consumption (Li et al., 2015). Hedonic factors have been validated as strong predictors in determining user behavior when using social media, such as enjoyment, affection and fantasy (Li et al., 2015; Xu et al., 2012). When individuals use WeChat, they may obtain hedonic gratification from the fun they achieve in using WeChat as well as in the way it helps passing time. In addition, social outcome has been found to be important when using social media. Users interact and establish connections with others during the process of using WeChat, for example, by online chatting, clicking “Like” or leaving comments on other people’s posts. Also, individuals use social media for utilitarian purposes. Prior studies have empirically validated the important roles of utilitarian factors in influencing user behavior, such as immediate access, information sharing and self-documentation (Xu et al., 2012; Liu et al., 2016). WeChat not only enables users to generate a particular image of themselves, but also helps users to document issues and share information with others. Furthermore, as a technically innovative platform, WeChat provides Chinese users with the possibility to decide on which contacts in their real lives to be included in their WeChat contact list, which is different from other social media (e.g., Facebook), as no strangers appear in a user’s WeChat contact list. Also, WeChat enables users to decide who can read their posts and whom they will share specific information with – based on the different settings in WeChat. Thus, this study presumes that: (1) perceived enjoyment and passing time are the hedonic factors that fulfill individuals’ hedonic expectations; (2) social interaction and social presence are the factors that capture individuals’ social gratification; (3) utilitarian gratification is composed of selfpresentation, information documentation and information sharing; and (4) media appeal is the

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT factor that fulfills users’ technology gratification. Table 2 presents the details of the constructs included in the proposed research model. Table 2 List of research constructs in the research model Gratifications

Construct

Theory

Definition in this research

Hedonic gratification

Perceived enjoyment (Ryan & Deci, 2000)

Hedonic theory, motivation theories

The extent to which using WeChat is perceived to be enjoyable

Passing time (Papacharissi, 2002)

Hedonic theory

The degree to which WeChat is used to pass the time

Social interaction (Deci & Ryan, 2000)

Self-determination theory

The extent to which WeChat is used as a communication medium to interact with others

Social presence (Biocca, Harms, & Burgoon, 2003)

Social presence theory

The degree to which using WeChat achieves a psychological sense of communicating and establishing connections with others

Self- presentation (Goffman, 1959)

Self-presentation theory

The extent to which using WeChat to helps create a particular self-image, thus impacting how others perceive and treat oneself

Information documentation (Nardi et al., 2004)

Motivation theories

The degree to which using WeChat documents issues in individuals’ lives

Information sharing (Trammell, Tarkowski, & Hofmokl, 2004)

Motivation theories, information sharing theory

The extent to which WeChat is used to share information with others

Media appeal (James et al., 1995)

Communication theory

The extent to which WeChat can enable individuals to communicate with others in an easy and immediate way

Social gratification

Utilitarian gratification

Technology gratification

Research hypotheses As one of the primary behavioral outcomes of the IS post-adoption stage, the continuance intention has received increasing attention. In this study, the continuance intention to use WeChat is defined as the likelihood an individual user will continue using WeChat for a long period. Perceived enjoyment is considered one of the key motivators influencing an individual’s use of social media (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Prior studies have empirically validated the finding and found that individuals are more likely to continue to use a particular social media if they perceive it as enjoyable, pleasant and fun during the usage process (Gallego et al., 2016). In the context of WeChat, a variety of interesting posts from private accounts and public accounts are offered to users, such as short videos, pictures and interesting stories, which may bring entertainment and fun to individual users. As argued in the prior literature, the more enjoyment and fun individuals perceive in using WeChat, the more likely they are to continue using it. Thus, the following hypothesis is developed: H1. Perceived enjoyment positively affects the continuance intention to use WeChat. Passing time is defined as using media to occupy the time when one has nothing better to do (Papacharissi, 2002). In the current research, it refers to using WeChat to fill up free time. Prior studies have shown that passing time has a significant impact on user behavior in various contexts

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT (Liu & Chang, 2016; Papacharissi, 2002). For example, Papacharissi (2002) noted that passing time is an important motivation for individuals to maintain their personal web pages. Also, a recent survey from Tencent (2016b) reported that when users feel bored or have nothing else to do, they can easily access WeChat to occupy the time, for example, reading posts from the Moments or official accounts. If WeChat helps users to pass their time, they may intend to continue using it. Thus, the following hypothesis is assumed: H2. Passing time positively affects the continuance intention to use WeChat. Social interaction is an important part of WeChat usage, which fulfills individuals’ social gratification. Social interaction has been identified as a significant factor facilitating the continued use of social media (Cheung, Liu, & Lee, 2015; Wang & Chiang, 2009). Cheung et al. (2015) found that online social interaction significantly influences information contribution behavior in social communities. Wang and Chiang (2009) noted that social interaction at the bidding stage significantly affects the online auction continuance intention. As a social platform, WeChat enables users to interact and develop social relationships with others through such features as “Like”, “Comment” or voice messages (Tencent, 2016b). When users perceive more social gratifications via social interaction in using WeChat, they may have a stronger intention to continue using it. Therefore, the following hypothesis is put forward: H3. Social interaction positively affects the continuance intention to use WeChat. Social presence refers to individuals’ psychological sense of physically interacting and establishing a personal connection with others via using WeChat (Biocca et al., 2003). Individuals are thus motivated to choose a particular social media with a great level of social presence (Lowry et al., 2006). Prior studies have validated the important role of social presence in influencing user behavior in different contexts (Lin, Fan & Chau, 2014; Mantymaki & Riemer, 2014). Lin et al. (2014) found that social presence significantly affects the continuance intention to use SNS, while Mantymaki and Riemer (2014) showed that social presence has a significant effect on the continuance intention to use social virtual worlds. Similarly, the more possibilities that individuals perceive to be connected with others, the more likely it is that they will continue to use WeChat. Thus, the following hypothesis is posited: H4. Social presence positively affects the continuance intention to use WeChat. Self-presentation refers to using WeChat to generate a particular image of individuals themselves, which will influence how others perceive and treat them (Goffman, 1959; Schlenker & Leary, 1982). According to the self-presentation theory, individuals tend to perform in a good manner and present appropriate images to others, therefore making others perceive them as, e.g. socialable and fashionable (Dominick, 1999; Goffman, 1959). Prior studies have shown that selfpresentation is a key factor in predicting individuals’ intention to use social media, such as SNS (Mehdizadeh, 2010; Seidman, 2013) and social network games (Lee et al., 2002). Based on the above reasoning, this study expects that self-presentation will also be a motivator for individuals to continue using WeChat. Hence, the following hypothesis is suggested: H5. Self-presentation positively affects the continuance intention to use WeChat. Information documentation refers to using WeChat to document issues in individuals’ lives (Nardi et al., 2004). Information documentation could satisfy IS users’ desire for self-expression (Liu et al., 2016), thus strengthening their continuance intention. Chung, Koo and Park (2012) noted that self-expression significantly impacts users’ intention to continue using SNS. Shao (2009) revealed that individuals use user-generated media (such as MySpace) to produce their

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT own information via self-expression and self-actualization. Also, a report issued by Tencent (2016b) showed that 35.1% of WeChat users update their posts. WeChat users can document their daily activities through posts in Moments, such as when and where they are, as well as what they are doing. Based on the above discussion, it is reasonable to posit that information documentation will exert an influence on individuals’ intention to continue using WeChat. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H6. Information documentation positively affects the continuance intention to use WeChat. Information sharing refers to using WeChat to share information with others (Trammell et al., 2004). In prior literature, information sharing is identified as a dominant factor motivating individuals to use social media (Gallego et al., 2016; Malik et al., 2016). Malik et al. (2016) noted that information sharing is a motive for individuals to use Facebook. Gallego et al. (2016) found that sharing experiences significantly influence users’ continuance intention to use Second Life in e-learning. Similarly, WeChat users can easily and conveniently share information with others. For instance, users can share different types of information with their contacts via private messages, e.g., interesting news, posts, pictures and videos. Also, WeChat users can publish valuable posts in their Moments and share with their friends (Tencent, 2016b). When individuals perceive that there is more gratification in sharing information with others, they will be more likely to continue using WeChat. Thus, the following hypothesis is developed: H7. Information sharing positively affects the continuance intention to use WeChat. Media appeal refers to the degree to which WeChat enables individuals to communicate with others in an easy and immediate way (James et al., 1995). Meuter et al. (2000) argued that it is important that individuals can get access to media services at any time and any places. Gulvady (2009) indicated that media appeal is an important motivator influencing blogging behavior. Shao (2009) found that characteristics of easy to use and control in social media use foster individuals to use user-generated media. WeChat allows users to access its services anytime and anywhere. For example, WeChat offers users a ubiquitous access environment and users can access WeChat through various platforms like mobile phones and desktops. Also, WeChat users can communicate with others via voice, video or text. Even the “Like” button can convey information to others, such as “I care about you” (Gallego et al., 2016). From this perspective, this study assumes that the gratification obtained from media appeal may contribute to an individual’s intention to continue using WeChat. Hence, the following hypothesis is suggested: H8. Media appeal positively affects the continuance intention to use WeChat. Research methodology Construct measurement The research model consists of nine constructs, including perceived enjoyment, passing the time, social interaction, social presence, self-presentation, information documentation, information sharing, media appeal and the continuance intention. All the constructs were measured using multiple-item scales. All the measurement items were adapted from prior literature and further modified to fit the research context of WeChat. The items of perceived enjoyment were adapted from van der Heijden (2003). The items of passing time were taken from Papacharissi (2002). The items of social interaction were modified from Papacharissi (2002) and Liu et al. (2016). The items of social presence were adapted from Li et al. (2015). The items of self-presentation were taken from Goffman (1959). The items of information documentation, information sharing and

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT media appeal were modified from Liu et al. (2016). The items of continuance intention were adapted from Bhattacherjee (2001). All items were measured with a seven-point Likert scale, ranging from “strongly disagree (1)” to “strongly agree (7)”. In addition, age was measured in years, gender was coded as “0” for male and “1” for female. Also, experience in using WeChat was measured in months, and frequency in using WeChat was measured with anchors that ranged from “many times a day” to “less than once one month”. The questionnaire was originally created in English and reviewed for content validity by three IS researchers. As the survey was conducted in the context of WeChat in China, Brislin’s (1970) back-translation method was employed to ensure translation equivalence. One researcher whose mother tongue is Chinese translated the original English questionnaire into Chinese, i.e. forward translation, then another researcher translated the questionnaire back into English to ensure the consistency of the content, i.e. back-translation. Finally they came to an agreement on the final version of the questionnaire. When the initial questionnaire had been developed, twenty university students who had rich WeChat usage experience were invited to participate in a pretest. The questionnaire was further modified based on their comments and feedback; sentences were rephrased and ambiguous questions were eliminated so as to improve the understandability and clarity of the questionnaire. The final items are presented in the Appendix. Data collection This study aims to investigate whether the gratifications individual users have obtained in their prior use of WeChat determine their continuance intention to use WeChat, including hedonic gratification, social gratification, utilitarian gratification and technology gratification. To test the research model, an online survey was conducted among WeChat users in China. The snowball sampling method was employed in this study and a population of students at a university in southern China was firstly invited to answer the questionnaire. At the same time, they were asked to spread the survey to their friends and family. The respondents who finished the survey were entered into a lottery prize draw, with a random red packet ranging from 0.1 RMB to 5 RMB1. Finally, 326 responses were collected for this research. All 326 responses were scrutinized and those with the same score for all questions (29 responses) were deleted. As a result, a valid sample of 297 responses was used for further analysis. Table 3 shows the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The demographic information of the sample is consistent with the report released by Tencent (2016b), thus the sample can be regarded as a good representative of the WeChat users in China. Table 3 Demographic information of respondents (N = 297) Measure

Items

Frequency

Percentage (%)

Gender

Male Female 17-21 22-26 27-31 32-36 Above 36

106 191 121 64 67 26 19

35.7 64.3 40.7 21.5 22.6 8.8 6.4

Age

1 RMB: Chinese Money, unit: Yuan. 1 RMB = 0.15 USD July 2017.

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT Experience of using WeChat

Less than 6 months 6 - 12 months 1 - 2 years 2 - 3 years 3 - 4 years Many times a day Several times a day Once a day Several times a week Once a week Less than once one month

Frequency of using WeChat

7 24 109 96 61 209 71 6 6 2 3

2.4 8.1 36.7 32.3 20.5 70.4 23.9 2.0 2.0 0.7 1.0

Data analysis Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was chosen to evaluate the research model (Chin, 1998). And SmartPLS 2.0 was utilized to validate both the measurement model and structural model. Measurement model To further ensure the validity of items, the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the twentyeight variables was performed. The EFA results show that, the extracted nine constructs explain 84.643% of the total variance, and four items were deleted due to the low levels of their factor loadings on their own constructs. To evaluate the measurement model, we tested the convergent validity and discriminant validity. Convergent validity measures whether items can effectively reflect their corresponding factor, and can be assessed by examining composite reliability (CR), item reliability and average variance extracted (AVE) (Hair et al., 2006). As shown in Table 4, the values of Cronbach’s Alpha, AVE and CR all exceed the thresholds of 0.7, 0.5 and 0.7, respectively (Chin, 1998; Fornell & Larcker, 1981). Thus, the convergent validity of the measurement model was confirmed. We also assessed the measurement model by conducting a discriminant validity test. Discriminant validity measures whether two factors are statistically different. As also presented in Table 4, the squared roots of the AVE of each construct are greater than their correlations with other constructs (Fornell & Larcker, 1981), thus verifying the discriminant validity of the measurement model. Table 4 Construct reliability and validity Construct

AVE

CR

Cronbach’s Alpha

CI

ID

IS

MA

PE

PRE

PT

SI

SP

CI ID IS MA PE PRE PT SI

0.859 0.944 0.777 0.776 0.898 0.811 0.866 0.804

0.948 0.971 0.912 0.912 0.964 0.928 0.928 0.925

0.918 0.940 0.855 0.856 0.943 0.887 0.846 0.878

0.927 0.332 0.503 0.716 0.580 0.316 0.109 0.484

　 0.971 0.540 0.414 0.416 0.426 0.170 0.420

　 　 0.881 0.524 0.479 0.380 0.049 0.513

　 　 　 0.881 0.557 0.370 0.091 0.473

　 　 　 　 0.948 0.374 0.157 0.468

　 　 　 　 　 0.900 0.250 0.364

　 　 　 　 　 　 0.931 0.070

　 　 　 　 　 　 　 0.897

　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT SP

0.819

0.900

0.788

0.436

0.396

0.507

0.463

0.455

0.450

0.101

0.526

Discriminant validity can be further confirmed if each within-construct item loading is higher on the measured construct than the cross-loadings on the other items (Chin, 1998). As shown in Table 5, the results indicate the discriminant validity of this research instrument. Table 5 Confirmatory factor analysis 　

CI

ID

IS

MA

PE

PRE

PT

SI

SP

CI1 CI2 CI3 ID2 ID3 IS1 IS2 IS3 MA1 MA2 MA3 PE1 PE2 PE3 PRE2 PRE3 PRE4 PT1 PT3 SI1 SI2 SI3 SP2 SP3

0.936 0.901 0.942 0.315 0.330 0.436 0.465 0.427 0.674 0.635 0.576 0.555 0.553 0.540 0.338 0.297 0.171 0.107 0.096 0.432 0.395 0.468 0.300 0.462

0.339 0.305 0.278 0.970 0.973 0.469 0.462 0.499 0.403 0.327 0.361 0.392 0.380 0.410 0.400 0.380 0.376 0.199 0.111 0.398 0.394 0.341 0.323 0.386

0.490 0.432 0.474 0.516 0.533 0.870 0.926 0.846 0.504 0.426 0.452 0.440 0.444 0.478 0.334 0.385 0.300 0.075 0.013 0.403 0.461 0.512 0.413 0.494

0.699 0.635 0.653 0.410 0.394 0.476 0.440 0.470 0.880 0.899 0.864 0.528 0.520 0.536 0.380 0.335 0.254 0.102 0.064 0.402 0.417 0.451 0.371 0.456

0.544 0.502 0.565 0.403 0.404 0.404 0.423 0.440 0.538 0.451 0.480 0.957 0.960 0.926 0.354 0.344 0.307 0.172 0.117 0.419 0.398 0.438 0.381 0.438

0.293 0.308 0.277 0.422 0.406 0.287 0.315 0.406 0.351 0.297 0.330 0.334 0.348 0.382 0.935 0.920 0.844 0.282 0.178 0.340 0.353 0.292 0.351 0.450

0.129 0.050 0.121 0.180 0.150 0.006 0.030 0.095 0.093 0.085 0.059 0.149 0.110 0.189 0.246 0.214 0.217 0.939 0.922 0.044 0.072 0.073 0.011 0.145

0.491 0.431 0.420 0.415 0.400 0.411 0.482 0.463 0.500 0.365 0.376 0.455 0.470 0.404 0.316 0.374 0.287 0.080 0.049 0.872 0.903 0.913 0.464 0.490

0.395 0.401 0.417 0.386 0.383 0.389 0.480 0.469 0.477 0.368 0.372 0.408 0.430 0.458 0.416 0.395 0.422 0.099 0.088 0.438 0.469 0.504 0.863 0.945

Furthermore, multicollinearity is not a major concern as the squared correlations between the constructs in the correlation matrix do not exceed 0.8 and the variance inflation factors in the collinearity diagnostics are below the threshold of 10 (Hair et al., 2006). Thus, the result of the Harman’s single-factor test reveals that common method bias is not an issue in this study (Podsakoff & Organ, 1986). Structural model The structural model was tested using the bootstrapping technique. Figure 2 depicts the results of the path coefficients and the corresponding levels of significance. The model explained 58.2 percent of the variance of the continuance intention to use WeChat, indicating that it has a good explanatory power. The results show that continuance intention is influenced by perceived enjoyment, information sharing and media appeal, thus supporting H1, H7 and H8. However and

0.905

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT unexpectedly, passing time, social interaction, social presence, self-presentation and information documentation do not have significant impacts on the continuance intention, thus H2, H3, H4, H5 and H6 are not supported. Perceived Enjoyment Hedonic gratification Passing Time 0.215*** Social Interaction Social gratification

n.s. n.s.

Social Presence

n.s.

Continuance Intention

n.s.

R2=0.582 Self-presentation

n.s. 0.114*

Utilitarian gratification

Information Documentation

0.512***

Information Sharing

Technology gratification

Media Appeal

Figure 2 The structural model (***: p < 0.001; *: p<0.05; n.s.: not significant) Discussion This study investigates the factors that affect individual users’ continuance intention to use WeChat in China. The results show that three types of gratifications have significant impacts on WeChat users’ continuance intention: hedonic gratification (perceived enjoyment), utilitarian gratification (information sharing) and technology gratification (media appeal). Technology gratification (media appeal) is found to be the most important motivator determining the continuance intention to use WeChat. This is consistent with the findings of Gulvady (2009) regarding blogging. The media appeal of WeChat reflects the ubiquitous and convenient access to WeChat services. A high media appeal indicates that users can use WeChat to communicate with others in a more easy and immediate way. For example, WeChat users can chat with their friends through texts and voice; also, they can communicate with their families via video chatting. The technology gratification received in WeChat use further motivates individuals’ intention to continue using WeChat. In addition, and consistent with prior findings regarding Facebook (Hsu et al., 2015) and social virtual worlds (Mantymaki & Riemer, 2014), hedonic gratification (perceived enjoyment) was found to have a very strong influence on WeChat users’ continuance intention. Users perceive the usage of WeChat as enjoyable, pleasant and fun when reading posts in their Moments. Satisfactory levels of the perceived enjoyment can fulfill WeChat users’ need for hedonic gratification, thus leading to their intention to continue using WeChat. Unexpectedly, passing time was found to have no significant effect on the continuance intention to use WeChat. The possible

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT reason for that may result from the fact that users have alternative options to pass time when needed. Furthermore, utilitarian gratification (information sharing) was found to significantly impact the continuance intention to use WeChat. The result is consistent with previous studies regarding Facebook (Malik et al., 2016) and e-learning (Gallego et al., 2016). WeChat could be used as a platform for utilitarian reasons, such as sharing information with others. Various channels, such as posts, messages and comments are offered to users, which enable them to conveniently share information. Contrary to our expectations, self-presentation and information documentation were not found to significantly influence WeChat users’ continuance intention. The possible reason for the non-significant effect of self-presentation may be due to the specific context of this study, i.e. WeChat in China. WeChat is a private social networking platform, where most of the users’ contacts are from their offline social network (Gan, 2017). This indicates that users do not necessarily need to generate a particular image of themselves online, as they are already acquainted with each other in real life. This is quite different from other social media, such as Facebook, which helps individuals to be connected with, e.g. strangers. Furthermore, the possible explanation regarding the non-significant effect of information documentation may be because individuals often use multiple social media platforms at the same time, and can easily transfer to alternatives for information documentation, thus information documentation did not play a salient role in determining users’ continuance intention to use WeChat. Unexpectedly, and in contrast to what we predicted, social gratifications, i.e. social interaction and social presence, are found to have no significant effects on WeChat users’ continuance intention. This is inconsistent with prior findings regarding Facebook (Hsu et al., 2015) and social network games (Li et al., 2015). One possible explanation is that China is a country with a strong culture of collectivism. It indicates that Chinese users have lots of social interactions in their daily lives, and they do not necessarily have such a need for social interaction and social presence in their WeChat use. In addition, the intense use of social media may lead to negative outcomes, e.g. social fatigue and strain (Lee, Son, & Kim, 2016; Zheng & Lee, 2016). For example, WeChat users not only need to take the time to maintain their offline relationships, but also have to keep up relationships with their online friends. Thus, users might not think they should focus on social interaction and social presence when using WeChat. Implications and limitations From a theoretical viewpoint, the findings of this study contribute to IS literature in several ways. First, this study found that technology gratification has the strongest impact on motivating WeChat users’ continuance intention. Prior IS literature employing the U&G theory has mainly focused on social, utilitarian and hedonic gratifications, and revealed their effects on IS user behavior; and less attention has been paid to the effect of technology gratification. The findings of this study extend the use of U&G theory in IS literature by considering the role of a new type of gratification (i.e. technology gratification) and it also deepens our understanding of the factors influencing IS continuance behavior. Second, this study revealed that the hedonic gratification of perceived enjoyment and the utilitarian gratification of information sharing have positive effects on the continuance intention to use WeChat, while the hedonic gratification of passing time and the utilitarian gratifications of self-presentation and information documentation do not. The results indicate that the gratifications are constructed by a variety of factors, and different factors will play different roles in fulfilling the gratifications. Third, this study noted that social gratification

ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT did not have a significant effect on the continuance intention to use WeChat. However, prior studies have generally shown that social gratification is a dominant factor affecting the sustained use of an IS (Hsu et al., 2015; Li et al., 2015), thus this study’s finding makes us rethink the role of social gratification in the emerging social media environment. From a managerial viewpoint, this study also offers new insights for practitioners on how to retain existing WeChat users in China. First, this study highlights the salient role of media appeal in influencing WeChat users’ continuance intention. Thus, Chinese service providers should ensure that users can access their services in easier, more convenient and cost-effective ways based on the technical platform of WeChat. Second, this study noted that perceived enjoyment is the second dominant factor motivating WeChat users’ continuance intention. The result indicates that Chinese service providers should improve their services to make the usage process more enjoyable. Third, Chinese service providers should provide more convenient channels for WeChat users to share information with others, as the result also revealed the significant role of information sharing in predicting WeChat users’ continuance intention. As with all research, there are some limitations. First, this study focused on WeChat in China, hence the results may be limited to the Chinese population. Care should be taken when generalizing the findings of this study to other countries and other social media. Future research should consider whether cultural difference moderate the influence of gratifications on the continuance intention in the context of social media. Second, the respondents of this study were primarily young WeChat users. Though the sample represents the main user group in China, there may be differences for users in different age groups. Further research should consider taking age and gender as moderators to examine the differences in gratifications when predicting the continuance intention to use WeChat among the different groups in China. Third, in this study different constructs were used to reflect the four types of gratifications received when using WeChat, while the technology gratification is composed of one factor. Hence, future studies should attempt to explore more factors in relation to the technology gratification. References Babrow, A. S. (1987). Student motives for watching soap operas. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 31(3), 309-321. Basak, E., & Calisir, F. (2015). An empirical study on factors affecting continuance intention of using Facebook. Computers in Human Behavior, 48, 181-189. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.01.055 Bhattacherjee, A. (2001). Understanding information systems continuance: An expectationconfirmation model. MIS Quarterly, 25(3), 351-370. doi: 10.2307/3250921 Biocca, F., Harms, C., & Burgoon, J. K. (2003). Towards A More Robust Theory and Measure of Social Presence: Review and Suggested Criteria. Presence Teleoperators & Virtual Environments, 12(5), 456-480.Brislin, R. W. (1970). Back-Translation for Cross-Cultural Research. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1(3), 185-216. doi: 10.1177/135910457000100301Chaouali, W. (2016). Once a user, always a user: Enablers and inhibitors of continuance intention of mobile social networking sites. Telematics and Informatics, 33(4), 1022-1033. doi: 10.1016/j.tele.2016.03.006Cheung, C. M. K., Liu, I. L. B., & Lee, M. K. O. (2015). How online social interactions influence customer information contribution behavior in online social shopping communities: A social learning theory perspective. Journal of the Association for Information Science and

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ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT ID2: I use WeChat to keep track of what I am doing. ID3: I use WeChat to document my life. Information sharing (IS) (Liu et al., 2016) IS1: I use WeChat to provide information. IS2: I use WeChat to share information that is useful to other people. IS3: I use WeChat to present information on my interests. Media appeal (MA) (Liu et al., 2016) MA1: I like WeChat because I can communicate with others immediately. MA2: WeChat is the easiest, most cost-effective way to communicate. MA3: WeChat is easier for me to maintain. Continuance intention (CI) (Bhattacherjee, 2001) CI1: I intend to continue using WeChat rather than discontinue its use. CI2: My intention is to continue using WeChat rather than to use any alternative means. CI3: I would like to continue my use of WeChat.