Are People Addicted to Social Networks?

Abstract

The popularity of social networking sites (SNSs) has increased rapidly. SNSs are a key part of daily life for many people around the world. The use of SNSs is already a global phenomenon. Drawing on social capital theory, this research empirically explored how structural capital (social network ties), relational capital (trust in SNSs, trust in members of SNSs, social identification, and social norms), and cognitive capital (shared language and shared goals) influence stickiness, which in turn affects addiction. This study introduced key moderators, privacy concerns and perceived security, to the relationship between stickiness and addiction. The authors empirically evaluated the proposed model by using survey data collected from SNS users. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the model. This study can provide a deeper understanding of SNS users' addiction behavior by focusing on social capital theory, privacy concerns, and perceived security and therefore contribute to both research and practice.

Care for Women's Health

“…The concept of social capital originates from sociological research, and although no consensus has been reached on its specific definition until now, the explanatory perspective can be divided into individual and group levels. At the individual level, social capital can be understood as the ability of individuals to access and integrate resources through their own social networks or complex social structures (Chang & Liu, 2023). At the collective level, social capital is mainly described as a group of people who share the same characteristics through trust and reciprocity, as well as compliance with public rules and regulations (Putnam, 1994).…”

“…Harpam et al (2002) contend that social capital has two components. The level and frequency of engagement in associations and other types of social interaction make up social capital's structural component, while people's perceptions of reciprocity, sharing, and trust in others make up its cognitive component (Chang & Liu, 2023). As a result, the structural component seems to have quantitative traits and the cognitive dimension has more qualitative traits.…”

Can Remote Work Be Adopted When Phubbing and Cyber Loafing Behavior Are on the Rise?

“…Also, peers tend to place considerable trust in the content shared on social media groups without much scrutiny Shareef et al, 2020). The impact of social capital theory on addiction and stickiness on social networking sites, focusing also impacts SNS addiction (Chang & Liu, 2023). Perception of others' online behavior (POOB) results from what is being observed.…”