Empirical study on users' participation behavior in SNS based on theory of perceived risks and involvement degree

Abstract

Participation actively is the key to the development of SNS. Based on the theory of perceived risk and involvement, the research model of user's participation behavior in SNS was built. Empirical data was collected from six domestic popular SNS website in China, and analyzed through structural equation model. The results show that trust and higher degree of involvement are contributed to users' participation. Although the influence of perceived risk on users' participation is statistically insignificant, it has the negative correlation with trust. Two types of antecedent factors of involvement degree, that is relational embeddedness and flow experience, have positive effects. Therefore, providing individualization services of relationship maintenance and special entertainment experiences will help encouraging users to involve in SNS. And actively constructing and maintaining trust environment is also the important approach for SNS operators to attract more users to SNS.