When Technology Meets Human Desires

Adopting an alternative, yet complimentary view to the traditional, performance-based task/technology fit perspective, we examine the post-adoption of social network sites (SNS) by extending the concept of IT desirability as a central predictor of SNS continuous-use. We conceptualize SNS desirability as reflecting the affective relationship individuals experience with SNS, an approach that emphasizes both the IT and the individual as two social actors whose characteristics jointly determine the emotional outcome of their interactions. Based on the 16 basic desires of Sensitivity theory we explore individual differences to uncover intrinsic motives that can explain SNS continuous-use. We hypothesize that SNS desirability is influenced by the compatibility between individuals’ basic desires and the capability of an SNS to satisfy them. This individual-SNS fit is then hypothesized to influence SNS continuous-use through the construct of desirability. Subsequently, these hypotheses will be empirically assessed in the context of several popular SNSs.