Factors influencing continuance intention to use Instagram among Wrocław University students

Abstract

In the digital era, social networking sites have redefined how people connect worldwide. These platforms enable unprecedented global connections among friends, family, and even strangers, fostering a shared sense of community. This study focuses on Instagram, a pivotal platform launched in 2010, that allows users to share photos and videos enhanced by filters and editing tools. Instagram offers features like Stories, IGTV and Reels, nurturing creativity, fostering connections, and deepening the cultural impact. The research aims to analyse factors influencing individuals’ intentions to continue using Instagram. Employing the Expectation-Confirmation Model alongside variables such as sense of belonging, social interaction, passing time, information seeking, and self-expression, the study employed a survey method to figure out which variables determined the continued intention to use social networks among Wrocław University students. Data from 120 respondents were analysed, revealing support for nine out of ten hypotheses. Results revealed that a sense of belonging exerts the strongest influence on continued intent, followed by perceived usefulness, satisfaction, self-expression, information seeking, and social interaction. Notably, the passing time did not have a significant effect on continuance intention to use Instagram.