Structural model of factors affecting the use of virtual social networks: the mediating role of attitude towards virtual social networks
Subject Areas : Psychological Models and Methods
soghra ostovar
1
,
رقیه قربانی
2
,
Hossein Aflaki Fard
3
,
Mahboobeh Fouladchang
4
1 -
2 -
3 - Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, Tehran
4 - Department of Educational psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
Keywords: Virtual social networks, Diversity and breadth, Easy information and communication, Trust in social networks,
Abstract :
In the current research, the causal model of factors affecting the use of virtual social networks with the mediation of attitude towards virtual social networks has been tested.
Methods: According to the purpose, this research was applied and in terms of method, it was a correlational type of structural equation modeling.The statistical population of the research was all undergraduate students of Fars province. The sampling method in this research was random cluster sampling. The measurement tool was the questionnaire of the amount and attitude towards the use of social networks by Hejazi et al. (2015) and the questionnaire of factors affecting the use of virtual social networks by Khodayari et al. (2013).
Findings: Structural equation modeling analyzes supported the fit of the proposed model with the data. The results showed that the effective factors have a positive and significant effect on the amount of use of social networks and on the attitude towards social networks. Also, the results showed that the factors influencing the use of virtual networks positively and indirectly predict the amount of use of virtual networks through the mediation of attitudes towards networks.
Considering the confirmation of the hypothetical relationships predicted in the conceptual model of the research on the one hand and the appropriate amount of variance explained in the model on the other hand, it can be concluded that the technology acceptance model has acceptable effectiveness in the field of predicting and explaining behavior and the attitude of the studied students in using virtual
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