Consumer Acceptance and Use of Instagram

This study extends the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) model to investigate factors affecting the acceptance and use of a social networking service (SNS) called Instagram. The UTAUT2 model is modified to better suit the context of SNSs by replacing the price value construct with self-congruence. Furthermore, we explore the effects of behavioral intention and use behavior on "user indegree" defined as the number of people who follow an SNS user. The results of the survey study largely support the hypothesized model in the context of Instagram. The findings contribute to previous knowledge by demonstrating the important roles of hedonic motivation and habit in consumer acceptance and use of SNSs, and by providing novel insights into how users can attract followers within the social networks.