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

This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to
our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo
copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form.
Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the
content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
 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: chunmei_gan@163.com

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
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

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.
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

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 Personal Venkatesh &
Utilitarian gratification: utility computer Brown (2001)
Social gratification: status
Process gratification: search engines, resources, searching, technology, Internet Stafford et al.
surfing, and Internet websites (2004)
Content gratification: information, education, knowledge, learning and
research
Social gratification: chatting, friends, interaction and people
Utilitarian gratification: immediate access and coordination SNS Xu et al.
Hedonic gratification: affection and leisure (2012)
Utilitarian gratification: achievement Social network Li et al.
Social gratification: social presence and social interaction game (2015)
Hedonic gratification: fantasy, escapism and enjoyment
Content gratification: information sharing, self-documentation, and self- Microblogging Liu et al.
expression (2016)
Technology gratification: convenience, media appeal and social presence

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 H2
Interaction
Social
H3
gratification
Continuance
Social Presence H4
Intention
H5

Self-presentation H6

H7
Utilitarian Information
gratification Documentation H8

Information
Sharing

Technology
Media Appeal
gratification

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 self-
presentation, 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 Perceived enjoyment Hedonic theory, The extent to which using WeChat is perceived
gratification (Ryan & Deci, 2000) motivation theories to be enjoyable
Passing time Hedonic theory The degree to which WeChat is used to pass the
(Papacharissi, 2002) time
Social Social interaction Self-determination theory The extent to which WeChat is used as a
gratification (Deci & Ryan, 2000) communication medium to interact with others
Social presence Social presence theory The degree to which using WeChat achieves a
(Biocca, Harms, & psychological sense of communicating and
Burgoon, 2003) establishing connections with others
Utilitarian Self- presentation Self-presentation theory The extent to which using WeChat to helps
gratification (Goffman, 1959) create a particular self-image, thus impacting
how others perceive and treat oneself
Information Motivation theories The degree to which using WeChat documents
documentation (Nardi issues in individuals’ lives
et al., 2004)
Information sharing Motivation theories, The extent to which WeChat is used to share
(Trammell, information sharing information with others
Tarkowski, & theory
Hofmokl, 2004)
Technology Media appeal (James Communication theory The extent to which WeChat can enable
gratification et al., 1995) individuals to communicate with others in an
easy and immediate way

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 self-
presentation 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 106 35.7
Female 191 64.3
Age 17-21 121 40.7
22-26 64 21.5
27-31 67 22.6
32-36 26 8.8
Above 36 19 6.4

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

Experience of using WeChat Less than 6 months 7 2.4

6 - 12 months 24 8.1
1 - 2 years 109 36.7
2 - 3 years 96 32.3
3 - 4 years 61 20.5
Frequency of using WeChat Many times a day 209 70.4
Several times a day 71 23.9
Once a day 6 2.0
Several times a week 6 2.0
Once a week 2 0.7
Less than once one month 3 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 twenty-
eight 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
Cronbach’s
Construct AVE CR CI ID IS MA PE PRE PT SI SP
Alpha
CI 0.859 0.948 0.918 0.927 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　
ID 0.944 0.971 0.940 0.332 0.971 　 　 　 　 　 　 　
IS 0.777 0.912 0.855 0.503 0.540 0.881 　 　 　 　 　 　
MA 0.776 0.912 0.856 0.716 0.414 0.524 0.881 　 　 　 　 　
PE 0.898 0.964 0.943 0.580 0.416 0.479 0.557 0.948 　 　 　 　
PRE 0.811 0.928 0.887 0.316 0.426 0.380 0.370 0.374 0.900 　 　 　
PT 0.866 0.928 0.846 0.109 0.170 0.049 0.091 0.157 0.250 0.931 　 　
SI 0.804 0.925 0.878 0.484 0.420 0.513 0.473 0.468 0.364 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 0.905

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 0.936 0.339 0.490 0.699 0.544 0.293 0.129 0.491 0.395
CI2 0.901 0.305 0.432 0.635 0.502 0.308 0.050 0.431 0.401
CI3 0.942 0.278 0.474 0.653 0.565 0.277 0.121 0.420 0.417
ID2 0.315 0.970 0.516 0.410 0.403 0.422 0.180 0.415 0.386
ID3 0.330 0.973 0.533 0.394 0.404 0.406 0.150 0.400 0.383
IS1 0.436 0.469 0.870 0.476 0.404 0.287 0.006 0.411 0.389
IS2 0.465 0.462 0.926 0.440 0.423 0.315 0.030 0.482 0.480
IS3 0.427 0.499 0.846 0.470 0.440 0.406 0.095 0.463 0.469
MA1 0.674 0.403 0.504 0.880 0.538 0.351 0.093 0.500 0.477
MA2 0.635 0.327 0.426 0.899 0.451 0.297 0.085 0.365 0.368
MA3 0.576 0.361 0.452 0.864 0.480 0.330 0.059 0.376 0.372
PE1 0.555 0.392 0.440 0.528 0.957 0.334 0.149 0.455 0.408
PE2 0.553 0.380 0.444 0.520 0.960 0.348 0.110 0.470 0.430
PE3 0.540 0.410 0.478 0.536 0.926 0.382 0.189 0.404 0.458
PRE2 0.338 0.400 0.334 0.380 0.354 0.935 0.246 0.316 0.416
PRE3 0.297 0.380 0.385 0.335 0.344 0.920 0.214 0.374 0.395
PRE4 0.171 0.376 0.300 0.254 0.307 0.844 0.217 0.287 0.422
PT1 0.107 0.199 0.075 0.102 0.172 0.282 0.939 0.080 0.099
PT3 0.096 0.111 0.013 0.064 0.117 0.178 0.922 0.049 0.088
SI1 0.432 0.398 0.403 0.402 0.419 0.340 0.044 0.872 0.438
SI2 0.395 0.394 0.461 0.417 0.398 0.353 0.072 0.903 0.469
SI3 0.468 0.341 0.512 0.451 0.438 0.292 0.073 0.913 0.504
SP2 0.300 0.323 0.413 0.371 0.381 0.351 0.011 0.464 0.863
SP3 0.462 0.386 0.494 0.456 0.438 0.450 0.145 0.490 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
 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 n.s.
Interaction
Social
n.s.
gratification
Continuance
Social Presence n.s.
Intention
n.s.
R2=0.582
Self-presentation n.s.

0.114*
Utilitarian Information
gratification Documentation 0.512***

Information
Sharing

Technology
Media Appeal
gratification

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 expectation-
confirmation 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
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

Technology, 66(12), 2511-2521. doi: 10.1002/asi.23340Chin, W. W. (1998). The partial

least squares approach for structural equation modeling. Modern methods for business
research (pp. 295-336). Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Publishers.Chung, N., Koo, C., & Park, S.-B. (2012). Why People Share Information in
Social Network Sites? Integrating with Uses and Gratification and Social Identity
Theories. In J.-S. Pan, S.-M. Chen & N. T. Nguyen (Eds.), Intelligent Information and
Database Systems: 4th Asian Conference, ACIIDS 2012, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, March 19-
21, 2012, Proceedings, Part II (pp. 175-184). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin
Heidelberg.CNNIC. (2016). 38th Statistical Report on Internet Development in China.
Retrieved 2016-08-03, from
http://www.cnnic.net.cn/hlwfzyj/hlwxzbg/hlwtjbg/201608/P020160803367337470363.pd
fCoursaris, C. K., Jieun, S., Van, O. W., & Younghwa, Y. (2013). Disentangling Twitter's
Adoption and Use (Dis)Continuance: A Theoretical and Empirical Amalgamation of Uses
and Gratifications and Diffusion of Innovations. AIS Transactions on Human-Computer
Interaction, 5(1), 57-83.Csikszentmihalyi, M., & LeFevre, J. (1989). Optimal experience
in work and leisure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(5), 815-822. doi:
10.1037/0022-3514.56.5.815Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The ‘‘what’’ and ‘‘why’’
of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological
Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.
DeLone, W. H., & McLean, E. R. (1992). Information Systems Success: The Quest for the
Dependent Variable. Information Systems Research, 3(1), 60-95. doi:
doi:10.1287/isre.3.1.60
Dimmick, J., Kline, S. L., & Stafford, L. (2000). The Gratification Niches of Personal E-mail and
the Telephone: Competition, Displacement, and Complementarity. Communication
Research, 27(2), 227-248.
Dominick, J. R. (1999). Who Do You Think You Are? Personal Home Pages and Self-
Presentation on the World Wide Web. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly,
76(4), 646-658. doi: 10.1177/107769909907600403Elliott, W. R., & Rosenberg, W. L.
(1987). The 1985 Philadelphia Newspaper Strike: A Uses and Gratifications Study.
Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 64(4), 679-687.Fornell, C., & Larcker, D.
F. (1981). Structural Equation Models With Unobservable Variables and Measurement
Error: Algebra and Statistics. Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), 18(3), 382-
388.Gallego, M. D., Bueno, S., & Noyes, J. (2016). Second Life adoption in education: A
motivational model based on Uses and Gratifications theory. Computers & Education,
100, 81-93. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2016.05.001Gan, C. (2016). An empirical analysis of
factors influencing continuance intention of mobile instant messaging in China.
Information Development, 32(4), 1109-1119. doi: 10.1177/0266666915591298Gan, C.
(2017). Understanding WeChat users' liking behavior: An empirical study in China.
Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 30-39. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.002Gan, C., & Li, H. (2015). Understanding
continuance intention of mobile instant messaging.Industrial Management & Data
Systems, 115(4), 646-660.Gan, C., & Wang, W. (2015). Uses and gratifications of social
media: a comparison of microblog and WeChat. Journal of Systems and Information
Technology, 17(4), 351-363. doi: doi:10.1108/JSIT-06-2015-0052Goffman, E. (1959).
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

The presentation of self in everyday life. New York: Doubleday.Gulvady, S. (2009).

Blogging - Redefining Global Modern Journalism: An Omani Perspective. Global Media
Journal, 8(14), 1.Guo, J. P., Liu, Z. G., & Liu, Y. (2016). Key success factors for the
launch of government social media platform: Identifying the formation mechanism of
continuance intention. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 750-763. doi:
10.1016/j.chb.2015.10.004Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., &
Tatham, R. L. (2006). Multivariate Data Analysis (6th edition). New Jersey: Pearson
Education.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a Silver Bullet. Journal of
Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 139-152. doi: 10.2753/MTP1069-
6679190202Hsu, M. H., Tien, S. W., Lin, H. C., & Chang, C. M. (2015). Understanding
the roles of cultural differences and socio-economic status in social media continuance
intention. Information Technology & People, 28(1), 224-241. doi: 10.1108/itp-01-2014-
0007James, M. L., Wotring, C. E., & Forrest, E. J. (1995). An exploratory study of the
perceived benefits of electronic bulletin board use and the impact on other
communication activities. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 39(1), 30-
50.Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1974). Utilization of Mass Communication
by the Individual. In J. G. Blumler & E. Katz (Eds.), The Uses of Mass Communications:
Current Perspectives on Gratifications Research (pp. 19-32). Thousand Oaks, London,
New Delhi: SAGE Publications.Kim, S. S., & Malhotra, N. K. (2005). A Longitudinal
Model of Continued IS Use: An Integrative View of Four Mechanisms Underlying
Postadoption Phenomena. Management Science, 51(5), 741-755.Ku, Y.-C., Chu, T.-H., &
Tseng, C.-H. (2013). Gratifications for using CMC technologies: A comparison among
SNS, IM, and e-mail. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(1), 226-234. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.08.009Lee, J., Lee, M., & Choi, I. H. (2012). Social
network games uncovered: Motivationsand their attitudinal and behavioral outcomes.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 15(12), 643–648.Lee, A. R., Son, S.
M., & Kim, K. K. (2016). Information and communication technology overload and
social networking service fatigue: A stress perspective. Computers in Human Behavior,
55, 51-61. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.08.011Leung, L., & Wei, R. (2000). More Than Just
Talk on the Move: Uses and Gratifications of the Cellular Phone. Journalism & Mass
Communication Quarterly, 77(2), 308-320. doi: 10.1177/107769900007700206Lin, H.,
Fan, W., & Chau, P. Y. K. (2014). Determinants of users’ continuance of social
networking sites: A self-regulation perspective. Information & Management, 51(5), 595-
603. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2014.03.010Li, H., Liu, Y., Xu, X., Heikkilä, J.,
& van der Heijden, H. (2015). Modeling hedonic is continuance through the uses and
gratifications theory: An empirical study in online games. Computers in Human
Behavior, 48, 261-272. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.01.053Liu, C. C., &
Chang, I. C. (2016). Model of online game addiction: The role of computer-mediated
communication motives. Telematics and Informatics, 33(4), 904-915. doi:
10.1016/j.tele.2016.02.002
Liu, I. L. B., Cheung, C. M. K., & Lee, M. K. O. (2016). User satisfaction with microblogging:
Information dissemination versus social networking. Journal of the Association for
Information Science and Technology, 67(1), 56-70. doi: 10.1002/asi.23371Lo, O. W.-Y.,
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

& Leung, L. (2009). Effects of gratification-opportunities and gratifications-obtained on

preferences of instant messaging and e-mail among college students. Telematics and
Informatics, 26(2), 156-166. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2008.06.001Lowry, P.
B., Roberts, T. L., Romano, N. C., Cheney, P. D., & Hightower, R. T. (2006). The Impact
of Group Size and Social Presence on Small-Group Communication: Does Computer-
Mediated Communication Make a Difference? Small Group Research, 37(6), 631-661.
doi: 10.1177/1046496406294322Malik, A., Dhir, A., & Nieminen, M. (2016). Uses and
Gratifications of digital photo sharing on Facebook. Telematics and Informatics, 33(1),
129-138. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2015.06.009
Mantymaki, M., & Riemer, K. (2014). Digital natives in social virtual worlds: A multi-method
study of gratifications and social influences in Habbo Hotel. International Journal of
Information Management, 34(2), 210-220. doi: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2013.12.010Meuter,
M. L., Ostrom, A. L., Roundtree, R. I., & Bitner, M. J. (2000). Self-service
technologies:understanding customer satisfaction with technology-based service
encounters. Journal of Marketing, 64(3), 50-64.Nardi, B. A., Schiano, D. J., Gumbrecht,
M., & Swartz, L. (2004). Why we blog. Communications of the Acm, 47(12), 41-
46.Papacharissi, Z. (2002). The Self Online: The Utility of Personal Home Pages. Journal
of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 46(3), 346-368. doi:
10.1207/s15506878jobem4603_3Podsakoff, P. M., & Organ, D. W. (1986). Self-Reports
in Organizational Research: Problems and Prospects.Journal of Management, 12(4),
531.Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic
Definitions and New Directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54-
67.Schlenker, B. R., & Leary, M. R. (1982). Social anxiety and self-presentation: A
conceptualization model. Psychological Bulletin, 92(3), 641-669. doi: 10.1037/0033-
2909.92.3.641Seidman, G. (2013). Self-presentation and belonging on Facebook: How
personality influences social media use and motivations. Personality and Individual
Differences, 54(3), 402-407. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2012.10.009Shao, G. S. (2009).
Understanding the appeal of user-generated media: a uses and gratification perspective.
Internet Research, 19(1), 7-25. doi: 10.1108/10662240910927795Stafford, T. E.,
Stafford, M. R., & Schkade, L. L. (2004). Determining uses and gratifications for the
Internet. Decision Sciences, 35(2), 259-288.Tencent. (2016a). 2016 Interim Report.
Retrieved 2017-05-17, from https://www.tencent.com/zh-
cn/articles/15000611495014502.pdfTencent. (2016b). Report on WeChat. Retrieved
2016-03-21, from
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA5NDMxMTAyMg==&mid=402733938&idx=1&s
n=de14d96ecbde2ac6be9a99c8a4a3b6bf&scene=5&srcid=0909GW3fjWRU4TizgUXXaI
8b#rd
Trammell, K. D., Tarkowski, A., & Hofmokl, J. (2004). Identifying the uses and gratifications of
polish bloggers. Paper presented at the the Association of Internet Researchers Annual
Conference, Brighton, UK.
van der Heijden, H. (2003). Factors influencing the usage of websites: the case of a generic portal
in The Netherlands. Information & Management, 40(6), 541-549. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0378-7206(02)00079-4
Venkatesh, V., & Brown, S. A. (2001). A Longitudinal Investigation of Personal Computers in
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

Homes: Adoption Determinants and Emerging Challenges. MIS Quarterly, 25(1), 71-102.
doi: 10.2307/3250959Wang, J. C., & Chiang, M. J. (2009). Social interaction and
continuance intention in online auctions: A social capital perspective. Decision Support
Systems, 47(4), 466-476. doi: 10.1016/j.dss.2009.04.013Wikipedia. (2013). WeChat.
Retrieved 2013-12-22, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WeChat#cite_note-10Xu, C.,
Ryan, S., Prybutok, V., & Wen, C. (2012). It is not for fun: An examination of social
network site usage. Information & Management, 49(5), 210-217. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2012.05.001Zhao, K., Stylianou, A. C., & Zheng, Y.
(2013). Predicting users' continuance intention in virtual communities: The dual
intention-formation processes. Decision Support Systems, 55(4), 903-910. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2012.12.026

Zheng, X., & Lee, M. K. O. (2016). Excessive use of mobile social networking sites: Negative
consequences on individuals. Computers in Human Behavior, 65, 65-76. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.08.011Appendix. Measurement items and their
sources

Perceived enjoyment (PE) (van der Heijden, 2003)

PE1: I find using WeChat to be enjoyable.
PE2: The actual process of using WeChat is pleasant.
PE3: I have fun using WeChat.

Passing time (PT) (Papacharissi, 2002)

PT1: I use WeChat because it passes the time when I am bored.
PT2: I use WeChat because it is the thing to do to occupy my time. (Deleted)
PT3: I use WeChat when I have nothing better to do.

Social interaction (SI) (Liu et al., 2016; Papacharissi, 2002)

SI1: Using WeChat enables me to maintain a daily, personal connection with friends and family.
SI2: Using WeChat enables me to connect with friends in my real life.
SI3: Using WeChat enables me to keep in touch with friends in my real life.

Social presence (SP) (Li et al., 2015)

SP1: I feel connected to others in the WeChat environment. (Deleted)
SP2: In my interactions with others, I am able to be myself and show what kind of person I really
am.
SP3: I feel like I am a member of the WeChat community when using it.

Self-presentation (PRE) (Goffman, 1959)

PRE1: I use WeChat, because I want others to perceive me as open. (Deleted)
PRE2: I use WeChat, because I want others to perceive me as keeping pace with trends.
PRE3: I use WeChat, because I want others to perceive me as socialable.
PRE4: I use WeChat, because I want others to perceive me as fashionable.

Information documentation (ID) (Liu et al., 2016)

ID1: I use WeChat to keep a record of what I learn. (Deleted)
 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.