AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF ONLINE USERS’ BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS IMAGE USE IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Abstract

Nowadays, social media is an irresistible technology for Internet users. Users commonly use images on social media to express their feelings or share their experiences or thoughts. However, prior studies show that more effort needs to be made to delve into the significant role of motivation, engagement, and belief when users use images on social media. Building on the findings of related literature, this paper integrates the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), Two-Sided Structure (TSS) in social media, and the Extended IT Continuance Model (EICM) to explore users’ behaviour on image use in social media. The integrated model has been reviewed and validated by 10 experts from different universities, private sectors, and government agencies. All data collected were analysed using the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM), where the findings show the threshold value is less than 0.2 and the percentage of expert consensus is over 75%. Therefore, the integrated model can provide imperative factors for understanding users’ behaviour on image use in social media. Hence, the model can also be used as a guideline or reference for government agencies or non-government organizations (NGOs) to provide helpful information on image use in social media.