Emerging social virtual worlds (SVWs) are attracting attention from researchers and
practitioners for the benefits they potentially offer to business and other real-life
domains. Clearly, the success of a SVW cannot be realized without a sufficient number
of persistent participants who adopt and continue using the SVW service. This is
especially the case for SVWs that are in the trough of disillusionment facing threats of
losing users. However, little work has been done to understand why people adopt and
continue using SVWs. In SVW research, although a few studies have investigated the
initial acceptance of SVWs, there is still a lack of understanding of user motivations,
intention and behavior in SVW continuance. Existing models in the literature on IS
continuance are insufficient to understand SVW continuance because they have overly
focused on productivity-oriented variables based on a utilitarian perspective, while
substantially ignoring hedonic and social factors. Filling in these gaps, this dissertation
aims to: (1) explore individuals' motivations of keeping using a SVW, (2) identify
factors and mechanisms affecting SVW users' continuance intention, and (3) understand
SVW users' continuance usage behavior.
This dissertation combines two studies, an exploratory investigation and an empirical
assessment, to address the research objectives. Both studies are conducted in Second
Life (SL), one of the most typical and popular SVWs. Qualitative data are collected in
the exploratory investigation (Study 1) to understand why individuals adopt and
continue using SL. Based on the well-established uses and gratifications (U&G)
paradigm, Study 1 identifies individuals' motivations to use SL and categories these motivations into three general U&G types: functional, experiential, and social. In
addition, Study 1 explores the reasons for individuals to continue using SL. In general,
three types of perceived values (utilitarian, hedonic and social) have a long-lasting
impact on SL users' willingness to continue; at the same time, SL users are also "locked
in" the virtual world because of three types of irrecoverable resources (tangible
investments, procedural investments, and relational capital) that they have invested or
developed in past usage.
The empirical assessment (Study 2) aims to understand factors and mechanisms
affecting SVW users' continuance intention and usage behavior. It contains a
longitudinal design whereby quantitative data are collected in two steps. In both steps,
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses are conducted to evaluate the
measurement model and structural model. In Step 1, based on the literature and the
results of the exploratory investigation, an integrated model is developed to understand
continuance intention. Cross-sectional data are collected from 464 experienced users
from a variety of places in SL to test the proposed hypotheses. The results suggest that,
in general, SL users' continuance intention is determined by two contrasting
mechanisms: dedication (want to) and constraint (have to). In the dedication-based
mechanism, three types of values (utilitarian, hedonic, and social) are critical in
predicting users' satisfaction and affective commitment, which then determine
continuance intention. Specifically, the impact of utilitarian value on affective
commitment has been mediated by satisfaction. In the constraint-based mechanism,
service-specific investments (personalization and relational capital) predict calculative
commitment which in consequence impacts on continuance intention through affective commitment. Specifically, learning cost is found to be not important for experienced SL
users because learning primarily occurs at the early stage of usage. Contrary to my
expectation, the direct effect of calculative commitment on continuance intention is
statistically significant but negative, probably due to the suppression effect and
mediating effect of affective commitment.
In Step 2 of the empirical assessment, the focus is switched from continuance intention
to continuance usage behavior. Longitudinal data collected from 303 SL users are
analyzed to evaluate the nomological network among continuance intention, habit, and
self-reported continuance usage behavior (measured by frequency, diversity, and daily
usage). The results indicate that continuance usage is not only a function of continuance
intention, representing a reasoned action (or planned behavior) mechanism, but also
determined to a large extent by habit which represents an automated usage mechanism.
The automated behavior (i.e., habit) complements and eliminates the effects of reasoned
action (i.e., continuance intention) on continuance usage.
This research contributes to the literature on SVW continuance in particular, and IS
continuance in general, by providing a comprehensive understanding of user
motivations, intention and behavior in SVW continuance. This research also provides
hints to SVW operators in terms of how to attract and maintain users to achieve
sustainability and success. Based on the discussion of the research findings and
limitations, a number of directions for future research are offered.
| Date of Award | 15 Feb 2011 |
|---|
| Original language | English |
|---|
| Awarding Institution | - City University of Hong Kong
|
|---|
| Supervisor | Douglas VOGEL (Supervisor) |
|---|