Accepted Manuscript

Seniors’ usage of mobile social network sites: Applying theories of innovation

diffusion and uses and gratifications

Myung Ja Kim, Choong-Ki Lee, Noshir S. Contractor

PII: S0747-5632(18)30421-7

DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.08.046

Reference: CHB 5680

To appear in: Computers in Human Behavior

Received Date: 03 May 2018

Accepted Date: 25 August 2018

Please cite this article as: Myung Ja Kim, Choong-Ki Lee, Noshir S. Contractor, Seniors’ usage of
mobile social network sites: Applying theories of innovation diffusion and uses and gratifications,
Computers in Human Behavior (2018), doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.08.046

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 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 1

Seniors’ usage of mobile social network sites: Applying theories of innovation diffusion
and uses and gratifications

Author

Myung Ja Kim, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor in the College of Hotel & Tourism Management at Kyung Hee University
26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
Email: [email protected]; Tel: +82-10-9035-2696; Fax: +82-2-964-2537

Choong-Ki Lee*, Ph.D.

Professor in the College of Hotel & Tourism Management at Kyung Hee University
26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
Email: [email protected]; Tel: +82-2-961-9430; Fax: +82-2-964-2537

Noshir S. Contractor, Ph.D.

Jane S. & William J. White Professor of Behavioral Sciences in the McCormick School of
Engineering & Applied Science, the School of Communication, and the Kellogg School of
Management at Northwestern University
2145 Sheridan Road, Tech D241, Evanston IL 60208-3119, USA
Email: [email protected]; Tel: +1-847-491-3669

August 23, 2018

Exclusively submitted to the Computers in Human Behavior

*Corresponding author

Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the
National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2015S1A5A2A03049328).

Declaration of conflicting interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research,
authorship, and/or publication of this article.

A short biography of each author

Myung Ja Kim, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the College of Hotel & Tourism
Management at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea. Her research focuses on information
and communication technology, senior wellness, slow movement, open innovation, and
crowdfunding related to the tourism and hospitality. She has published over 30 scholarly
international journal articles and has been recently awarded several research grants related to
tourism information and communication technologies.
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 2

Choong-Ki Lee, Ph.D. is a professor in the College of Hotel and Tourism Management at
Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea. His research includes valuation of ecotourism
resources, forecasting tourism demand, the economic impact of tourism, motivation of
mega-events, and resident perceptions toward casino development. He has published over
120 papers in internationally reputed journals. He currently serves on the editorial boards
of Tourism Management, Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, and International
Gambling Studies.

Noshir S. Contractor, Ph.D. is the Jane S. & William J. White Professor of Behavioral
Sciences in the McCormick School of Engineering & Applied Science, the School of
Communication, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, USA.
He is investigating factors that lead to the formation, maintenance, and dissolution of
dynamically linked social and knowledge networks in a wide variety of contexts including
communities of practice in business, translational science and engineering communities,
public health networks, and virtual worlds. He has published or presented over 250 research
papers dealing with communicating and organizing.
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Seniors’ usage of mobile social network sites: Applying theories of innovation diffusion
and uses and gratifications

ABSTRACT
Seniors are substantial users of mobile devices to communicate and participate in mobile
social network sites (MSNS) to interact, but there has been little theoretically based
understanding of what motivates seniors’ use of MSNS for tourism. To bridge the gap, this
study applied the theory of the diffusion of innovations as well as the theory of uses and
gratifications to explain why seniors use MSNS. Key explanatory variables included site
attachment and authentic experience. Results indicate that the effect of innovation diffusion
on authentic experience was greater than on site attachment. The effect of uses and
gratifications was also greater on authentic experience than on site attachment. In addition,
this study examined the moderating role between purchase and non-purchase groups. The
effects of uses and gratifications on site attachment and authentic experience were stronger in
the purchase group than in the nonpurchase group, while on the other hand, the effects of
innovation diffusion on site attachment and authentic experience were stronger in the non-
purchase group than in the purchase group The findings of this study suggests theoretical and
practical implications for senior MSNS usage in the tourism domain.

Keywords: Mobile social network sites; Innovation diffusion theory; Uses and gratifications
theory; Purchase/non-purchase; Senior; Tourism
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1. Introduction

The emerging senior market plays an important role in the tourism industry due to the

affluent purchasing power of seniors (Kim, Lee, & Bonn, 2016d; Kim, Lee, Kim, & Kim,

2013). In South Korea (hereafter “Korea”), the population of those over 50 are more than one

third (35.5%) of the total population in 2016 and will reach more than one half (53.4%) of the

population by 2040 (Korean Statistical Information Service, 2016). Those 50 years old and

over are defined as seniors in this study because of their distinctive characteristics in the

tourism areas (e.g., Kim et al., 2013, 2016d). Specifically, Anderson and Langmeyer (1982)

identify differences in tourism motivations, planning, and the cost of travel between over-50

and under-50 age groups, suggesting that age can be used for market segmentation. The

American Association of Retired Persons (2017) also describes seniors as people who are age

50 and older. With regard to marketing perspectives, the distinction between the over-50

segment and the under-50 segment significantly benefits marketing managers because of the

clear differences in their responses to promotions, advertising, products, and travels

(Anderson & Langmeyer, 1982; Kim, Chung, Lee, & Kim, 2011; Treguer, 1994). Because

our study focuses on the market segmentation of senior mobile social network sites (MSNS)

users for tourism purposes (Kim, Bonn, & Lee, 2017a; Kim, Lee, & Bonn, 2017b), this study

regards seniors as being over the age of 50.

Korea is one of the fastest aging countries in the world, with more than one-third of the

population being seniors referred to as the mature market, elderly market, gray market, or

silver market (Kim, Kim, Kim, & Kim, 2016c; Kim & Preis, 2016). Seniors continue to

represent an important and rapidly growing segment of the population in Korea that can

potentially assume a more dominant position within the travel and tourism industry given

their financial affluence and desire to travel (Kim, et al., 2011, 2013). Moreover, Korean
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 3

seniors have higher adoption rates of information and communication technology products

and services related to travel than other countries, such as the United States of America (Kim

et al., 2016c, 2016d). A majority of Korean seniors use mobile MSNS for travel and tourism

purposes, in addition to using it for enjoying and spending their discretionary time (Kim et al.,

2017a, 2017b). As a result, two of the major challenges in contemporary Korean society are

the information and communication technology revolution and the demographic shift caused

by an aging population (Kim, Lee, & Preis, 2016e; Kim & Preis, 2016). Hence, this study

focuses on understanding and forecasting Korean seniors’ use of technology (MSNS) for one

of their favorite activities, which is tourism.

A majority of seniors extensively uses mobile devices to communicate and participate in

mobile social network sites (MSNS) to interact with other users (Gallup Korea, 2015; Korea

Internet Security Agency, 2016). Despite the importance and distinctiveness of the senior

segment in the MSNS market, there has been little theoretically grounded research on

seniors’ usage of MSNS for tourism purposes. This study addresses that limitation by

examining senior MSNS usage for tourism products and services based on theories of

innovation diffusion as well as uses and gratifications.

Innovation diffusion theory (IDT) is a theoretical paradigm to identify why people adopt

new ideas and technologies (Robertson, 1967; Rogers, 1983). The IDT has proved useful to

explain seniors’ technology adoption (Sugarhood, Wherton, Procter, Hinder, & Greenhalgh,

2014), tourists’ behavior (Agag & El-Masry, 2016; Ganglmair-Wooliscroft & Wooliscroft,

2016), and usage of social network sites (SNS) (Chiang, 2013). Particularly, IDT provides an

attractive model that explains the intentions of tourists to participate in the online travel

community and significantly influences intention to purchase as well as generate positive

word of mouth (Agag & El-Masry, 2016). More importantly, the attributes of innovation
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specified by IDT - complexity, relative advantage, and compatibility - explain continued use

of social network sites (SNS) (Chiang, 2013).

In addition to IDT, uses and gratifications theory (UGT) is used to explain why

audiences utilize specific media to meet specific gratifications (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch,

1973). Research has demonstrated the utility of UGT to identify the reasons people use SNS

(Chiang, 2013; Han, Min, & Lee, 2015; Smock, Ellison, Lampe, & Wohn, 2011). Research

based on UGT has been conducted on MSNS usage (Ha, Kim, Libaque-Saenz, Chang, &

Park, 2015), seniors’ usage of mobile devices (Magsamen-Conrad, Dowd, Abuljadail,

Alsulaiman, & Shareefi, 2015), and seniors’ SNS usage (Jung & Sundar, 2016). More

importantly, Gallego, Bueno, and Noyes (2016) find that UGT explains the effects of

convenience and entertainment on intention to use information and communication

technology and that information seeking and status on sharing experiences lead to continued

intention to use the technology. UGT suggests that meeting the needs of three types of

gratification - informativeness, social interactivity, and playfulness - motivates an

individual’s sustained intention to use a social network site (Chiang, 2013). Therefore, the

objective of this research is to understand senior users’ intention to use MSNS for tourism

activities, by integrating the IDT and UGT models. To achieve this goal, a conceptual model

is developed with the key constructs of the two models to predict MSNS users’ behavioral

intention.

Prior research suggests two factors that play an important role in purchasing online

tourism products and services. First, site attachment has been shown to play a vital role in

purchasing tourism products and services in mobile sites (Kim, Chung, Lee, & Preis, 2016a;

Kim, Chung, Lee, & Preis, 2016b), SNS (Kim et al., 2016d), and online sites (Kim, Chung, Lee,

& Preis, 2015). Site attachment is defined as keeping users connected to online communities
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and has been shown to be an important element in increasing loyalty to SNS (Kim et al.,

2016e). Second, prior research indicates that authentic experience is a significant factor

driving the purchase of online tourism products and services (Gilmore & Pine, 2007;

Reinecke & Trepte, 2014). However, previous studies applying IDT or UGT, which largely

predate the Web, have understandably not engaged much with the two vital constructs of site

attachment and authentic experience in MSNS. This study addresses that deficiency by

developing a research model that incorporates site attachment and authentic experience into a

theoretical model based on IDT and UGT for explaining use of MSNS by seniors for tourism-

related activities.

In SNS, research on purchase has been well documented in terms of brand evaluations

(Naylor, Lamberton, & West, 2012), word of mouth (See-To & Ho, 2014), decision making

processes (Xie & Lee, 2015), and tourism products (Rondán-Cataluña, Arenas-Gaitán, &

Ramírez-Correa, 2015). IDT has been used to explain the reasons why consumers purchase

tourism products from online travel communities (Agag & El-Masry, 2016). And UGT sheds

light on new opportunities for purchasing products on SNS (Baek, Cho, & Kim, 2014; Zhang,

Shabbir, & Abro, 2015). In particular, attachment to the products of mobile phones is closely

related to consumers’ purchase of the mobile devices (Mugge, Schifferstein, & Schoormans,

2010). Likewise, authentic experience of a wine place is significantly associated with

consumers’ wine purchase (Moulard, Babin, & Griffin, 2015). Despite the importance of

consumer purchase in MSNS, there is little research on the moderating role between purchase

and non-purchase groups in MSNS among the senior tourism market. Thus, the purpose of

this study is twofold: to develop and verify a comprehensive research model of integrating

IDT and UGT to explain site attachment and authentic experience; and to examine the

moderating effect of purchase and non-purchase groups in the context of seniors’ use of
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MSNS for tourism.

By doing so, this study makes a theoretical contribution by extending and integrating

prior work on IDT and UGT to the online context, specifically explaining site attachment and

authentic experience. This study also makes a practical contribution by offering distinctive

marketing strategies to the MSNS industry based on insights about the moderating role of

purchasers and non-purchasers in the combined IDT and UGT model.

2. Literature review

2.1. Theoretical background

2.1.1. Mobile social network sites for seniors

The proliferation of mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets) have prompted the

development of a plethora of MSNS. Research has offered us valuable insights on how

MSNS can be used by businesses for marketing communications, sales enhancement, and

relationships with customers (Yadav, Joshi, & Rahman, 2015). Tourism industry is one of the

emerging sectors adopting these new MSNS channels as communication and marketing tools

(Gulbahar & Yildirim, 2015). In libraries, the main uses of MSNS include searching and

sharing information, consumer self-service, and keyword-identified auto-responses (e.g., a

mobile auto-response service) as basic functions (Xu, Kang, Song, & Clarke, 2015). In

MSNS commerce, users' perceived usefulness has a positive effect on their continuing usage

of mobile social commerce, which is a booster for brand loyalty (Hew, Lee, Ooi, & Lin,

2016). MSNS users’ satisfaction has a positive impact on sustained intention to use, while

emotional exhaustion has a negative effect on sustained use of MSNS (Chaouali, 2016).

Seniors, more than non-seniors, are adopting SNS to extend their social relationships

(Chakraborty, Vishik, & Rao, 2013; Choudrie & Vyas, 2014). Seniors are well poised to
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leverage SNS-based knowledge management that involves peer sharing, evaluation of content,

ease of use, affordability, information types, self-organizing, and peer trust (Dumbrell &

Steele, 2014). Seniors on SNS consider family role and privacy control as important

characteristics, followed by the design of the user interface, adaptive solutions to compensate

old, and health information (Coelho & Duarte, 2016). Attachments of common bond and

identity play a vital role in explaining seniors’ intention to revisit SNS for tourism (Kim et al.,

2016d). Among seniors using MSNS for tourism purposes, benefits and authentic experience

play an important role in predicting their intention to revisit MSM moderated by the effect of

discretionary time (Kim et al., 2017a). Moreover, senior MSNS users’ flow experience is

found to have a significant effect on subjective well-being, which in turn highly influences

purchase intention, together with the moderating role of anxiety attachment in tourism

activities (Kim et al., 2017b). Given the importance of MSNS in senior tourism, this study

aims to utilize IDT and UGT to examine what makes seniors adopt and then become

sustained users of MSNS for tourism products and services.

2.1.2. Innovation diffusion theory

Innovation is defined as “a process whereby a new thought, behavior, or thing is

conceived of and brought into reality” (Robertson, 1967, p. 19). Diffusion is defined as “the

process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among

the members of a social system” (Rogers, 1983, p. 12). IDT is defined as a rational

contemplation that seeks to clarify how, why, and at what degree new ideas and technologies

spread over people (Robertson, 1967; Rogers, 1983). Also, the IDT refers to “how this

attitude is formed, how it leads to the eventual adoption or rejection decision, and how

innovation characteristics fit into this process” (Karahanna, Straub, & Chervany, 1999, p.
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186). Information systems researchers have adapted the characteristics of innovations

presented by Rogers and refined a set of constructs that could be used to study individual

technology acceptance (Moore & Benbasat, 1991; Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, & Davis, 2003).

According to IDT, the attributes of technology that predict user adoption are ease of use,

relative advantage over existing options, compatibility with prior technologies, values and

preferences, easy demonstrability of its results, and trialability of the technology without

having to make a huge a priori investment in resources (Venkatesh et al., 2003).

These attributes were shown to significantly influence adoption in mobile banking (Al-

Jabri & Sohail, 2012). Based on IDT, the perceived characteristics of innovation and self-

efficacy have significant impacts on the adoption: however, emotional attachment to paper

books, that is compatibility with prior values and preferences, has a negative influence on the

relationship between user attitudes and adoption of eBook readers (Waheed, Kaur, Ain, &

Sanni, 2015).

IDT has been used to dynamically understand the spread of ethical tourism behaviors

through a population, revealing a link between relatively static tourist innovativeness and the

innovation diffusion (Ganglmair-Wooliscroft & Wooliscroft, 2016). Alongside the

technology acceptance model, IDT offers a compelling model for explaining tourists'

intention to participate in online travel communities, which in turn positively influences

intention to purchase as well as generate positive word of mouth (Agag & El-Masry, 2016).

Further, attributes of innovation specified by IDT (i.e., complexity, relative advantage, and

compatibility) explain why people continue to join and use SNS (Chiang, 2013). Despite the

significance of the IDT for seniors, tourism, and SNS, there has been a paucity of studies

using IDT to explicitly explain the adoption of MSNS for tourism by seniors. In the next
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section, we will argue why UGT explains not just the adoption, but the sustained or intention

for continuing use of MSNS by seniors for tourism.

2.1.3. Uses and gratifications theory

UGT is an audience-centered approach to understanding why and how people actively

and continuously use specific media to satisfy (or gratify) specific needs (Katz et al., 1973).

In other words, UGT explains why people select a specific medium over other

communication media and reveals the psychological needs that inspire people to use

particular media (Cheung, Chiu, & Lee, 2011). UGT has been well developed and proven

useful in understanding the theoretical dimensions for assessing usage of the Internet and

electronic commerce interfaces (Stafford et al., 2004). Unlike traditional media, new forms of

media, such as SNS, partition general use into various segments accounting for a more

comprehensive explanation of how motivations are associated with use (Smock et al., 2011).

In UGT, social presence of the SNS engenders the gratifications of peoples’ needs for social

connection which in turn influences continued usage. UGT argues that meeting the needs for

three types of gratification motivate an individual’s sustained intention to use a social

network site; hedonic gratifications (enjoyment, fantasy, and escapism), utilitarian

gratifications (achievement), and social gratifications (social interaction and social presence)

(Li, Liu, Xu, Heikkilä, & Van Der Heijden, 2015). The important antecedents of SNS users’

attitude and intentions for sustained use are articulated and empirically validated by research

based on UGT (Chiang, 2013). The linkage between peoples’ needs for immediacy and the

easy access to real-time features offered by MSNS explains why they are used even more

than traditional SNS (Han et al., 2015).

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According to UGT, the aforementioned gratifications and mobile convenience influence

seniors’ attitudes towards MSNS use, which in turn impacts their actual use of MSNS (Ha et

al., 2015). From a UGT model, seniors differ from the general population in their use of

mobile devices in terms of information search, relationship maintenance, style, playfulness

and killing time, and organization (Magsamen-Conrad et al., 2015). Social bonding is a major

motivation for seniors participating in most of the activities on SNS. Using the message

interactivity feature, as predicted by the UGT model, leads to greater SNS use (Jung &

Sundar, 2016). Based on the literature review above, this study posits that seniors use MSNS

for tourism activities, by meeting their gratifications for informativeness, social interactivity,

and playfulness. The following section describes research outlining what makes seniors

distinct in their use of SNS from other population segments.

2.2. Hypothesis development

2.2.1. Relationship between innovation diffusion and site attachment

While IDT specifically focuses on explaining the adoption of an innovation, the basic

argument can be extended to explain not only adoption of an innovation but also intention for

sustained attachment to the innovation, in this case a MSNS site. IDT outlines several

attributes of an innovation, such as simplicity, benefit, and compatibility that make the

innovation more likely to diffuse and adopt (Rogers, 1983). Attachment theory has a critical

role in the context of senior mobile device users for tourism purposes (Kim et al., 2016c).

Site attachment is defined as mobile device users’ affective connections to websites in which

the users become involved (Kim et al., 2016a). Site attachment is formed from certain

motivations (e.g., perceived usefulness, source credibility, value, trust) in mobile tourism

contexts (Kim et al., 2015, 2016b).

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Innovation diffusion attributes of the IDT have significant impacts on attitudes toward

adopting new technologies (Karahanna et al., 1999). Specifically, perceived usefulness of

shopping sites, an IDT attribute, has a positive effect on mobile device users’ attachment to

the sites for travel and tourism products and services (Kim et al., 2016a). For smartphone

users, time saving from the shopping sites, another IDT attribute, influences their attachment

to the sites for tourism purposes (Kim et al., 2016b). More importantly, among senior users of

smartphones and tablets, usefulness of the devices, another IDT attribute, significantly leads

to their attachment to the devices for tourism activities (Kim et al., 2016c). Drawing on the

literature review above, this study posits that senior MSNS users’ site attachment is predicted

by attributes of IDT in the context of tourism and travel activities. Thus, this study proposes

the following hypothesis:

H1: Attributes that explain diffusion of an innovation have a positive effect on site

attachment among seniors using MSNS for tourism purposes.

2.2.2. Relationship between innovation diffusion and authentic experience

Authentic experience is defined as natural, original, exceptional, genuine, real, true, or

high quality of feeling that is determined by consumers and thus authenticity has acted as

catalyst in the success of social networks (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, Myspace) (Gilmore &

Pine, 2007). Authentic experience plays an important role in the context of senior MSNS

users for tourism and travel purposes (Kim et al., 2017a). Online authenticity has a significant

longitudinal impact on subjective well-being (positive and negative affect as well as

satisfaction with life) and users with low degrees of well-being are less likely to feel

authentic on SNS (Reinecke & Trepte, 2014).

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Complexity, relative advantage, and compatibility - which are IDT attributes - play a

critical role in explaining why people report intending to continually use SNS (Chiang, 2013).

In the field of tourism, attributes of innovation have been shown to significant influence

diffusion of ethical experiences by tourists (Ganglmair-Wooliscroft & Wooliscroft, 2016).

Specifically, ease of use (an innovation attribute), positively influences seniors’ attitudes

toward using e-commerce websites (Smith, 2008). This suggests that simplicity is related to

quality of feeling (e.g., authentic experience). In online travel communities, perceived

usefulness (another innovation attribute) has a direct and positive influence on consumer

attitude toward online travel community and on consumer trust (Agag & El-Masry, 2016).

This positive influence on consumer attitude toward the online travel community also implies

an authentic experience. Compatibility – another innovation attribute - in early majority, late

majority, and laggards have been show to positively influence users’ attitude towards

intention for continuing use of SNS (Chiang, 2013). This again implies that compatibility of

an innovation diffusion attribute is related to authentic experience. We therefore propose that

attributes of IDT predict senior MSNS users’ authentic experience in the tourism context.

Therefore, this study posits:

H2: Attributes that explain diffusion of an innovation have a positive effect on authentic

experience among seniors using MSNS for tourism purposes.

2.2.3. Relationship between uses and gratifications and site attachment

In addition to IDT, as discussed above, UGT also has a significant impact on MSNS

users’ emotion and behavior (Chaouali, 2016). UGT identifies several features which are

used to meet certain gratifications including informativeness, social interactivity, and

playfulness. Informativeness is defined as users’ ability to use SNS to manage information or

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deliver meaning (Chiang, 2013). Social interactivity is defined as a behavior to “provide

opportunities for people to get acquainted, to become familiar with one another, and to build

trust” (Ren, Kraut, & Kiesler, 2007, p. 387). Playfulness is defined as “the degree to which a

current or potential user believes that the social network site will bring him/her a sense of

enjoyment and pleasure” (Sledgianowski & Kulviwat, 2009, p. 75).

Attachment theory plays a key explanatory role in the context of senior MSNS users for

tourism activities (Kim et al., 2016e). In the UGT paradigm, usage of online SNS is strongly

determined by uses and gratifications attributes (e.g., informativeness, social interaction,

playfulness) (Cheung et al., 2011). Specifically, according to the UGT model,

informativeness positively influences users’ propensity for using SNS (Chiang, 2013),

implying that informativeness is related to affective connection (e.g., site attachment). Social

interactivity has a positive effect on attachments of common bond and identity in online

communities (Ren et al., 2007), suggesting therefore that social interactivity is related to site

attachment. Entertaining features that meet gratifications has a significant effect on site

attachment among mobile tourism shoppers (Kim et al., 2016b), suggesting that playfulness is

positively related to site attachment. We therefore argue that attributes of UGT can predict

senior MSNS users’ site attachment in tourism. Hence, this study posits the following

hypothesis:

H3: Use of MSNS features that meet the gratification needs among seniors using them for

tourism purposes has a positive effect on their site attachment.

2.2.4. Relationship between uses and gratifications and authentic experience

Finally, in addition to IDT, as discussed above, UGT also explain why and how users

develop an authentic experience using SNS. SNS is a key aspect of contemporary culture and
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can be a space for individuals to interact (Luguetti, Goodyear, & André, 2017). The UGT

contributes to understanding of senior citizens' SNS use as an emerging communication tool

(Jung & Sundar, 2016). In UGT, informativeness has been shown to positively influence

laggard users’ attitude towards using SNS (Chiang, 2013), implying that informativeness is

related to quality of feeling (e.g., authentic experience). Social interactivity positively affects

cognitive, hedonic, and integrative gratifications in MSNS (Ha et al., 2015), and is therefore

associated with authentic experience. Positive affect of using SNS has a significant impact on

the sustained experience of authenticity on SNS (Reinecke & Trepte, 2014), suggesting that

playfulness is related to authentic experience. Meeting gratifications of enjoyment and

fantasy (i.e., playfulness) have been shown to have a highly significant effect on continuously

playing games on SNS (Li et al., 2015). Moreover, meeting gratifications of escapism has a

positive effect on satisfaction with MSNS usage, implying a high quality of authentic

experience (Chaouali, 2016). This research suggests that attributes of UGT predict senior

MSNS users’ authentic experience for tourism activities. Thus, this study proposes the

following hypothesis:

H4: Use of MSNS features that meet the gratification needs among seniors using them for

tourism purposes has a positive effect on their authentic experience.

2.2.5. Relationship between site attachment and intention for continuing use

Site attachment contributes to increasing senior SNS users’ loyalty to the SNS, resulting

in an intention for continuing (or sustained) use of the SNS for tourism and travel activities

(Kim et al., 2016e). Attachment to information systems has a significant effect on intention to

participate in the community (Choi, 2013). In online group purchasing of travel products and

services, site attachment to a group purchasing site has a positive impact on loyalty to the
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group buying site (Kim et al., 2015). In addition, tourism shoppers’ site attachment to a

mobile site influences their reciprocal altruism on the mobile site (Kim et al., 2016b). Among

senior SNS users for tourism, attachment of a common bond and identity plays an important

role in explaining the intention to revisit (Kim et al., 2016d). In the context of mobile tourism

shopping, shoppers’ site attachment to a mobile site has a significant impact on their intention

for continuing use of the mobile site (Kim et al., 2016a). We therefore argue that seniors’

attachment to tourism sites will lead to their intention for continuing use, suggesting the

following hypothesis:

H5: Site attachment has a positive effect on seniors’ intention for continuing use of MSNS

for tourism purposes.

2.2.6. Relationship between authentic experience and intention for continuing use

In addition to site attachment, authentic experience also contributes to boosting senior

MSNS users’ intention for continuing use of MSNS for tourism (Kim et al., 2017a). As a sign

of postmodernism, online social networking sites create a sense of authenticity by enabling

customers to create a SNS presence they consider real. This feature is a crucial component to

strive and succeed in SNS (Gilmore & Pine, 2007). A significant linkage between perceived

authenticity and behavioral intention of tourists exists in an island of cultural and natural

heritage sites (Ramkissoon & Uysal, 2011). Since the relationship between authentic

experiences and repurchase intention is significant, it is essential to increase authenticity to

meet consumer expectations when ethnic theme businesses want to enhance consumer return

rates (Tsai & Lu, 2012). The importance of the authentication of cultural tourist experiences

(in restaurant spaces) has been highlighted from the perspective of online marketing, tourists’

revisit, and online reviews (Mkono, 2013). In a longitudinal study of SNS, online authenticity
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has been shown to have a significant impact on subjective well-being of SNS users (Reinecke

& Trepte, 2014). This study proposes that senior MSNS users’ intention for continuing use is

positively influenced by their authentic experience in tourism contexts. Hence, we propose

the following hypotheses

H6: Authentic experience has a positive effect on intention for continuing use among

seniors using MSNS for tourism purposes.

2.2.7. Moderating effect of purchase or non-purchase

Motivational and cognitive differences offer a compelling explanation about the

differences between the distinctive purchasing behavior of two consumer types – users who

are buyers and those who are non-buyers (Fotopoulos, Krystallis, & Ness, 2003). For

example, the information about a product and its aesthetic features are an important leverage

of purchase for buyers, while a product’s perceived quality is a less important leverage of

purchase for the non-buyers (Fotopoulos et al., 2003). Research has shown that different

motivations, elicited by open-ended surveys, explain why some lottery-eligible individuals

play the lottery while others do not (Miyazaki, Langenderfer, & Sprott, 1999). Specifically,

analyses of playing intensity reveal several non-purchase motivations that effectively explain

such behavior, while enduring non-purchase motivations such as bad value, low involvement,

and belief against lottery appear to counteract purchase motivations much more than

situational motivations (e.g., lack of fund, time, and attention) (Miyazaki et al., 1999). More

relevant to this study, research has shown that there are differences in the electronic purchase

intention between buyers and non-buyers (Sánchez-Torres, Varon-Sandoval, & Sánchez-

Alzate, 2017). In other words, compared to the buyer group, the non-buyer group has a high

perception of risk regarding the use of the Internet to make purchases, low positive utility in
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 17

using this channel, difficulty of use, and lack of conditions needed to make purchases online,

the latter being associated with the high digital gap (Sánchez-Torres et al., 2017).

Furthermore, in SNS, behaviors of buyers are different from those of non-buyers in terms of

their use of social network sites, social identity, altruism, telepresence, and word-of-mouth

(WOM) (Rondán-Cataluña et al., 2015). In particular, telepresence and WOM are variables

that most influence purchasing online tourist services for people connected to SNS, whereas

these variables do not influence clients who bought offline tourist services (Rondán-Cataluña

et al., 2015). Hence, this study posits that consumer behaviors in MSNS are different between

buyers and non-buyers. Purchase in this study is defined as buy or pay for a reservation for

tourism products or services using money or an equivalent method through MSNS.

As predicted by IDT, consumers in online travel community have higher intention to

purchase than those not in an online travel community because the former offers attributes of

innovation more likely to adopt such as relative advantages, compatibility, and ease of use

(Agag & El-Masry, 2016). Attachment to a product is extended to brand attachment because

consumers are more eager to buy products bearing the same brand and attached consumers

are more likely to recommend the same brand products to others (Mugge et al., 2010).

SNS has created new opportunities for collecting product purchase information and UGT

has been extended to take advantage of this more detailed data on whether SNS users

purchase products or not via SNS (Zhang et al., 2015). The UGT model explains how

purchasing behaviors in SNS differ across attachment style groups, indicating that attachment

styles moderate the relationship between use of SNS and SNS-related outcomes (Baek et al.,

2014). In addition, seniors with greater desire for gratifications of psycho- and socio-

pleasure and attachment among Buddhists have higher buying intention for technology

products such as an electronic Buddha than those with lower gratifications (Lo, 2014).
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 18

Authenticity of a wine vendor is a positive attribute that leads to quality perceptions and

purchase (Moulard et al., 2015), revealing that consumers with better authentic experience

have higher intention to purchase than those without this experience. These findings while

not being from the tourism area, point to the generalizable nature of insights from UGT.

Therefore, this study argues that purchase and non-purchase have moderating effects in the

context of MSNS as articulated in the following four hypotheses:

H1a: Purchase/ non-purchase groups moderate the relationship between innovation

diffusion and site attachment among seniors using MSNS for tourism purposes.

H2a: Purchase/ non-purchase groups moderate the relationship between innovation

diffusion and authentic experience among seniors using MSNS for tourism purposes.

H3a: Purchase/ non-purchase groups moderate the relationship between

uses/gratifications and site attachment among seniors using MSNS for tourism purposes.

H4a: Purchase/ non-purchase groups moderate the relationship between

uses/gratifications and authentic experience among seniors using MSNS for tourism

purposes.

Based on the hypotheses, this study suggests a research model as shown in Fig. 1.

Insert Fig. 1 around here

3. Methods

3.1. Measurements

In this study, nine constructs were developed as shown in Table 1. Based on IDT,

innovation attributes were measured by simplicity, benefit, and compatibility, and in

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accordance with UGT, gratification features were measured by informativeness, social

interactivity, and playfulness. In addition, three constructs of site attachment, authentic

experience, and intention for continuing use were measured in the context of MSNS. All the

items for the constructs were adapted from prior literature and adapted to fit senior MSNS

users for tourism purposes.

In terms of the independent variables, for innovation diffusion four items of simplicity

were adapted from Agag and El-Masry (2016) and Chiang (2013). Four items to assess

benefit were adapted from Al-Jabri and Sohail (2012) and Rogers (1983). Four items to

measure compatibility were adapted from Robertson (1967) and Waheed et al. (2015). For

uses and gratifications, informativeness was assessed using four items adapted from Kim et al.

(2017a) and Stafford et al. (2004). Social interactivity was assessed by using four items

adapted from Ha et al. (2015) and Han et al. (2015). Playfulness was assessed by using four

items adapted from Magsamen-Conrad et al. (2015) and Smock et al. (2011).

Based on the procedures outlined by Jarvis, Mackenzie, Podsakoff, and Burke (2004)

and Hair Jr, Hult, Ringle, and Sarstedt (2017), this study operationalized the constructs from

IDT and UGT as second order factors of formative constructs for five reasons. First, direction

of causality comes from items (e.g., attributes from IDT and UGT) to constructs (e.g.,

innovation diffusion and uses/gratifications). Second, indicators (e.g., simplicity, benefit,

compatibility, informativeness, social interactivity, and playfulness) define characteristics of

the constructs. Third, the indicators do not need to have the same or similar content and share

a comment theme. Fourth, the formative constructs do not require indicators to co-vary with

each other. Finally, tourism-related studies adopting formative measurement approach are

relatively good fit to explain consumer behavior (Ahrholdt, Gudergan, & Ringle, 2017; do

Valle & Assaker, 2015). Therefore, we followed the assessment of formative measurement
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 20

models for the formative constructs of innovation diffusion from IDT and uses/gratifications

from UGT based on the aforementioned three indicators for each.

In terms of the dependent variables, to measure site attachment, five items were adopted

from previous research by Kim et al. (2015, 2016a). To measure authentic experience, five

items were adopted from prior research by Gilmore and Pine (2007) and Mkono (2013). To

assess intention for continuing use, five items were utilized from prior research by Kim et al.

(2016d, 2016e) (see Table 3).

Insert Table 1 around here

All items for the nine constructs were measured on a seven-point Likert scale, ranging

from “strongly disagree” (1) to “strongly agree” (7). Based on existing research (Kim et al.,

2016d), seven items representing general questions related to MSNS (i.e., length of

experience, spent time, devices used, primary motivation, place for accessing, purchase or

reservation, and frequently accessed MSNS) were developed. In addition, this study included

six items pertaining to socio-demographics (i.e., gender, age, educational level, marital status,

monthly household income, and occupation).

Three academic experts in tourism, senior, and social networks were asked to assess

whether the items were appropriate to measure senior MSNS usage to verify the content

validity. To check whether measurement items need to be deleted, added, or reworded, two

MSNS professionals were also asked to review the survey items. A pre-test was conducted to

verify the questionnaire items with 50 seniors who were 50 years or older and used MSNS for

tourism purposes within the past 6 months. As a result of these three procedures, two items

were deleted because of overlapping meaning on one item for site attachment (i.e., “I have
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engaged in using this mobile SNS for tourism-related activities”) and one item for intention

for continuing use (i.e., “I will add new postings for tourism-related activities in this mobile

SNS on a regular basis in the future”). In addition, a few minor changes were made for clarity.

More importantly, we asked the respondents to make a note on the questionnaire during the

pre-test if they have any changes, recommendations, suggestions, and comments about each

question. Accordingly, the results from the pre-test data were used to screen measures of

appropriateness in the context of senior MSNS users for tourism purposes. Also, scale

refinements based on item-total correlations and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were

conducted based on the pre-test with 50 senior MSNS users, applying the PLS-SEM

software.

3.2. Data collection

Tourism researchers have employed online surveys because it offers fast and cost-

effective answers from today’s online consumers (Kim et al., 2016d). An online survey is the

most suitable for the data collection method since this study examines consumer behavior

specific to MSNS. The respondents in this study were Korean seniors who are 50 years or

older and have used MSNS for tourism products and services. Based upon MSNS users’

gender and age of data provided by Korea Internet Security Agency (2016) and Korean

Statistical Information Service (2016), a quota sampling method was used in this study.

A highly ranked online survey firm, Embrain (2016), was employed to conduct the

online survey since the survey firm practices rigorous procedures for obtaining quality data.

For example, panel registration numbers are used to validate the identity of respondents;

using their legal names and membership identification, each respondent is double checked;

and when a respondent completes too fast or in recurring patterns to get an incentive, the
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survey system identifies and eliminates them. Further, each respondent gets a different

sequence of questions, a rotational function used for multiple choice items to avoid response

bias. Each respondent was required to present the name of a MSNS which the respondent had

most frequently visited regarding travel products and/or services. The MSNS name

mentioned by each respondent appeared on their particular survey screen for every

subsequent question.

The online survey was conducted from February 16 to 29, 2016. An online survey

expects approximately a 5% response rate in general (American Association for Public

Opinion Research, 2015). In addition, sample of approximately 400 respondents are

appropriate to conduct multi-group analysis (Hair, Black, Babin, & Anderson, 2010). Hence,

invitations to participate in the survey, with information regarding the survey’s purpose, were

sent via email to 7,100 seniors of 50 years or older, drawn at random, from the survey firm’s

national consumer database of 1,182,045 panel members. Of those panels, 1,014 seniors

responded to the survey invitation. In order to check if they had used a MSNS for travel

products or services within the past 6 months, a screening question was purposely designed

for this survey and asked the seniors (i.e., “In the past 6 months, have you used any MSNS to

get or post information, to engage in social activities, or to make reservations or purchases

related to tourism-related purposes?”). Of 605 qualified seniors who responded ‘yes’ to this

screening question, 549 seniors actually completed the survey, generating a response rate of

7.7%.

After checking outliers, inappropriate answers, or missing data (Hair et al., 2010), 500

respondents were used for the final analysis. For example, if a respondent spends too short a

time answering survey questions or if a respondent’s answers follow a “response-set” pattern

(e.g. all 1’s or all 5’s), data from that respondent were eliminated since such patterns indicate
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 23

unreliable or untrustworthy responses (Lee, Lee, & Lee, 2008). Specifically, collected data

were screened based on correlations, outliers, and time spent to answer the survey. In other

words, when deviating from these criteria, responses were not included in the final data set.

3.3. Data analysis

The research employed partial least squares (PLS)-structural equation modeling (SEM)

analysis to test the proposed model and hypotheses for several reasons. First, compared to

traditional SEM analyses, PLS-SEM requires minimal demands of the sample to validate a

model with bootstrap re-sampling method as a non-parametric approach (Chin, Marcolin, &

Newsted, 2003). Second, PLS-SEM can analyze both reflective and formative indicators

simultaneously within a model (Chin, 1998). Third, PLS-SEM has been proposed as more

appropriate for complicated models or multi-group analysis than traditional SEMs (Hair,

Sarstedt, Ringle, & Mena, 2012). Thus, SmartPLS 3.2.6 was used to analyze the

measurement and structural models in this study (Ringle, Wende, & Becker, 2015).

To compare the differences between purchase and non-purchase groups, multi-group

analysis was used, as suggested by Chin (1998), Chin et al. (2003), Keil et al. (2000, p. 315),

and Thompson, Higgins, and Howell (1994, p. 181) as follows:

pp
t ij

2
1 2
2
,
(n1  1 )  SE 1  (n 2  1 )  SE 2 1 1
 
n n 2
1 2 n n
1 2

where p1 is the path coefficient in the structural model of purchasei, n1 is the sample size of

the data set for purchasei, SE1 is the standard error of the path in the structural model for

purchasei, tij is the t statistic with n1 + n2 - 2 degrees of freedom, i is 1 for the purchase group,

and j is 2 for the non-purchase group.

Since respondents were asked to rate all survey questions at once, common method
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 24

variance was a potential issue. Thus, precautions were undertaken using several procedural

remedies to address common method bias (Conway & Lance, 2010; Podsakoff, MacKenzie,

Lee, & Podsakoff, 2003). First, in order to select only seniors who utilized MSNS for tourism

purposes during the past 6 months, a screening question was employed at the beginning of the

survey [i.e., “Please indicate which age group you are in: (1) Below 50 years old or (2) 50

and over”]. Second, the introduction section in the questionnaire included a description of the

study’s purpose, followed by a statement assuring all respondents of anonymity. Third, to

decrease respondent apprehension, survey instructions noted that there were no right or

wrong answers to the questions. Fourth, the questionnaire consisted of three parts: the first

part included general information, the second one included measurement items related to the

research model, and the third one included personal questions about demographic

characteristics. Fifth, the orders of scale items were randomly rotated for each respondent in

order to reduce the response bias.

Harman’s single factor test was performed to confirm if common method variance was

present in the resultant data set (Harman, 1967). That is, all self-reported survey items were

entered into an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Using this process, if a single factor

emerges or one factor accounts for more than 50% of the variance in the variables, common

method variance is present (Podsakoff et al., 2003). The EFA results showed that seven

factors were delineated (eigenvalue >1), with the first factor accounting for 13.22% of the

variance. Subsequent factors explained 12.97%, 11.29%, 10.67%, 9.41%, 9.38%, and 8.24%,

respectively. Since the single-factor test has been found to have some limitations (Chin,

Thatcher, & Wright, 2012), a marker variable approach was also employed. For this

procedure, a PLS algorithm was applied. A marker variable (avoidance attachment of senior

MSNS users) was used to estimate the correlations on every theoretical construct in the PLS
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path model. The corrections between the marker variable and each of the constructs in the

PLS path model were simplicity (0.169), benefit (0.168), compatibility (0.094),

informativeness (0.154), social interactivity (0.079), playfulness (0.095), site attachment

(0.066), authentic experience (0.065), and intention for continuing use (0.131). The resultant

average of the squared multiple corrections was 0.014 for the nine theoretical constructs

which is small and insignificant compared to the cutoff (0.1) (Lindell & Whitney, 2001).

Hence, both the traditional single-factor test and the marker variable approach suggested that

common method bias was not an issue in the study (Lindell & Whitney, 2001).

4. Results

4.1. Respondents’ profile

As shown in Table 2, there were more males (54.8%) than females (45.2%). A majority

of respondents fell in the 50 - 59 years age group (85.4%). One half of the sample had

university degrees (52.4%) and married seniors were dominant (87.8%). A plurality of

respondents (36.2%) fell into the 4.00 - 5.99 million Korean Won (US $3430 – US $5,137) of

monthly household income. Also, a plurality of respondents was office workers (30.0%) and

had experience with MSNS for one and a half year to three years (43.0%). Just under one half

of respondents (46.4%) spent more than 10 to 29 minutes on MSNS. A majority of

respondents used smartphones for MSNS (91.6%) and used MSNS for searching or posting

information (80.4%). Almost two-thirds of the sample (64.0%) used MSNS at home. Almost

one half of seniors (48.8%) purchased tourism products via MSNS. Most frequently accessed

MSNS for tourism purposes were Facebook (17.8%), Kakao (17.0%), Naver (10.4%),

Coupang (8.0%), and Hana tour (6.0%).

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Insert Table 2 around here

4.2. Grouping check

A question regarding purchase or non-purchase was asked of the respondents (“Did you

reserve or purchase product or service related to tourism purposes through MSNS?”). The

respondents (n=500) were split into two groups depending on their answer of yes or no. The

purchase group represented 48.8% (n=244), whereas the non-purchase group accounted for

51.2% (n=256). Thus, the grouping check reveals that the deviation of the collected data on

purchase and non-purchase groups is fairly rational for the multi-group analysis.

4.3. Measurement model

Based on CFA, all 37 items used to measure the independent and dependent variables in

this study were analyzed since their factor loadings were greater than 0.7 as shown in Table 3

(Kline, 2011). All nine constructs of simplicity, benefit, compatibility, informativeness, social

interactivity, playfulness, site attachment, authentic experience, and intention for continuing

use exceeded the minimum requirements of reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant

validity as shown in Table 4. Specifically, all Cronbach’s Alphas were greater than 0.70,

demonstrating that all constructs were satisfactorily reliable (Campbell & Fiske, 1959). The

composite reliability scores were greater than 0.70 and average variance extracted (AVE) for

each construct indicated greater than 0.50, indicating that convergent validity was satisfactory

(Bhattacherjee & Sanford, 2006). Discriminant validity was confirmed since the square root

of the AVE for each construct presented was greater than each inter-construct correlation

coefficient (Fornell & Larcker, 1981).

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Insert Tables 3 and 4 around here

4.4. Structural model

We assessed three separate models of the entire group, purchase group, and non-purchase

group, employing partial least squares (PLS)-structural equation modeling (SEM).

Differences between the purchase and non-purchase models were then tested. Across all

respondents the model resulted in an R2 or explained variance of 50.0% for site attachment,

60.7% for authentic experience and 50.2% for intention for continuing use (Hair et al., 2010).

Bootstrapping was employed to calculate the path estimates and t-statistics for the

relationships, which includes large numbers of re-samplings to assess the pattern of a

statistic’s sampling distribution (Kline, 2011). Since the data of this study did not meet the

standards of multivariate normality, we performed a bootstrap re-sampling method as a non-

parametric method to evaluate whether the main and moderating effects were significant

(Chin et al., 2003).

As shown in Fig. 2, all six hypotheses in the entire model are supported. Specifically,

innovation diffusion significantly influences site attachment (H1: β = 0.428, t-value =7.244, p

< 0.001) and authentic experience (H2: β =0.447, t-value =7.787, p < 0.001).

Uses/gratifications have significant effects on site attachment (H3: β = 0.314, t-value = 5.076,

p < 0.001) and authentic experience (H4: β = 0.371, t-value = 6.799, p < 0.001). Lastly,

intention for continuing use is influenced by site attachment (H5: β = 0.256, t value = 5.224, p

< 0.001) and authentic experience (H6: β = 0.506, t value = 12.785, p < 0.001).

Insert Fig. 2 around here

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H1a, H2a, H3a, and H4a were also tested to examine the moderating effect of purchase

versus non-purchase group. As shown in Table 5, the model explained a greater variance for

site attachment (5.4%), authentic experience (4.8%), and intention for continuing use (4.0%)

in the non-purchase group than those of the purchase group. In addition, a comparison of the

standardized path coefficients indicates that innovation diffusion has stronger effects on site

attachment and authentic experience in the non-purchase group than those of the purchase

group. On the other hand, uses/gratifications had higher impacts on site attachment and

authentic experience in the purchase group than those of the non-purchase group.

In order to perform a multi-group analysis for two sub-models, we applied PLS-SEM to

compare the model across the purchase and non-purchase groups. The coefficients of the four

paths across the purchase and non-purchase groups were significantly different (see Table 5).

In the non-purchase group, the magnitude of the coefficient between innovation diffusion and

site attachment as well as innovation diffusion and authentic experience were significantly

greater than those of the purchase group. Hence, the result supports H1a and H2a. On the other

hand, the magnitude of the coefficient between uses/gratifications and site attachment as well

as uses/gratifications and authentic experience were significantly greater in the purchase

group than those of the non-purchase group. Therefore, the result supported H3a and H4a. We

diagnosed multicollinearity using the variance inflation factor (VIF) of each independent

variable. Since all values for VIF fell between 1.589 and 2.949, multicollinearity was not a

concern in this study (Hair et al., 2010; Hair et al., 2012).

Insert Table 5 around here

4.5. Inclusion of control variables

In order to conduct a precise evaluation of the proposed research model, we controlled

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 29

for demographic variables of gender, age, educational level, occupation, and monthly

household income. This study assessed whether inclusion of those variables affects a more or

less precise interpretation of the results (Spector & Brannick, 2011). Based on the PLS

analysis using 500 bootstraps, we added the four control variables between authentic

experience and intention for continuing use to investigate whether the relationships were

supported after controlling for these variables. The statistics still supported the six hypotheses

after including the four control variables (see Fig. 3). Hence, the findings indicate that gender,

age, educational level, occupation, and monthly household income did not confound the

hypothesized results.

Insert Fig. 3 about here

5. Conclusion and implications

This research integrated the IDT and UGT paradigm since the attributes of innovation

diffusion and uses and gratifications are complementarily appropriate to explain why

consumers intend to engage with SNS continuously, demonstrate site attachment, and report

an authentic experience. In addition, this study tested the moderating role of purchase or non-

purchase. This study reveals that the effect of the attributes of innovation diffusion

(simplicity, benefit, and compatibility) was greater on providing an authentic experience than

on site attachment. Likewise, the effect of uses and gratifications (informativeness, social

interactivity, and playfulness) was also greater on providing an authentic experience than on

site attachment. Further, the effects of uses and gratifications influenced seniors’ site

attachment and perception of authentic experience more in the purchase group than in the

non-purchase group. On the other hand, the effects of attributes of the MSNS innovation on
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 30

site attachment and authentic experience were stronger in the non-purchase group than in the

purchase group. We next discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this study for

seniors’ usage of MSNS for tourism.

5.1. Theoretical implications

Given the emergence of a larger senior population, this theoretically grounded research

makes several contributions to senior MSNS usage for tourism purposes. First, this is

arguably the first study to identify the significant impact of the integrate model of IDT and

UGT on site attachment and authentic experience among senior MSNS users in the tourism

literature. Specifically, by integrating the two models, this study found that both IDT and

UGT had significant and distinct contributions to explain site attachment and authentic

experience of MSNS use. Thus, overall, the results provide a holistic framework for

explaining how IDT and UGT influence seniors ‘intention for continuing use of MSNS for

tourism through progressive phases. Second, the findings contribute to research on senior

tourism by verifying the vital effects of site attachment and authentic experience on intention

for continuing use, demonstrating the greater impacts of innovation diffusion as well as uses

and gratifications on authentic experience in MSNS. Third, the results contribute to tourism

research by identifying the significant differences between purchase and non-purchase groups

on the four theoretical relationships based on IDT and UGT. Hence, this study offers the

potential to drive a new theoretical momentum for future research on MSNS in the senior

tourism sector.

This study identified the significant effects of innovation diffusion on site attachment and

authentic experience. The findings support prior literature on the relationships between

innovation diffusion and emotional attachment (Waheed et al., 2015) as well as innovation
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 31

diffusion and ethical experience (Ganglmair-Wooliscroft & Wooliscroft, 2016). Also, this

study identified the significant effects of uses and gratifications on site attachment and

authentic experience. This research extends previous research on relationships between uses

and gratifications and SNS use (Chiang, 2013) as well as uses and gratifications and MSNS

use (Chaouali, 2016). Importantly, this study revealed that intention for continuing use was

significantly influenced by site attachment and authentic experience. The findings are

consistent with prior research on relationships between site attachment and continuing use

(Kim et al., 2016a) as well as authentic experience and continuing use (Reinecke & Trepte,

2014). In summary, this study contributes new insights to research in senior tourism, by

demonstrating the value of integrating IDT and UGT explanations for senior users’ site

attachment and authentic experience with MSNS.

This study makes important theoretical contributions related to identifying the

moderating role of differences between purchase and non-purchase groups in the four

relationships. The effects of uses and gratifications on site attachment and authentic

experience were much stronger in the purchase group than in the non-purchase group. This

suggests that seniors in the purchase group are more influenced to use MSNS based on it

gratifying certain needs such as informativeness, social interactivity, and playfulness. These

seniors, who bought products or services for tourism purposes from social media, were more

attached to, and had more authentic experiences from MSNS because it gratified their needs

rather than due to the innovation attributes of the MSNS (Lo, 2014; Moulard et al., 2015;

Zhang et al., 2015).

In contrast, the effects of innovation diffusion on site attachment and authentic

experience were stronger in the non-purchase group than in the purchase group. This suggests

that seniors in the non-purchase group are more influenced to use MSNS based on the
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attributes of innovation, such as simplicity, benefit, and compatibility. These seniors, who did

not buy products or services for tourism purposes from social media, are attached to MSNS

and have a more authentic experience based more on the attributes of the MSNS innovation

than because of gratifying their needs (Agag & El-Masry, 2016; Baek et al., 2014). These

findings contribute to new empirically validated theoretical insights about what factors

motivate seniors to attach with MSNS in the context of tourism, what attributes lead to an

authentic experience, and what variables predict their intentions of continued use of MSNS in

the context of tourism.

5.2. Practical implications

Because of the growing market segment of the senior population, this study on senior

MSNS usage for tourism purposes offers key insights to marketers. This study gives

businesses practical insights related to the significant relationship between innovation

diffusion and site attachment. For example, simplicity, benefit, and compatibility on MSNS

are vital for seniors’ site attachment to the MSNS. Accordingly, MSNS designers should

incorporate characteristics of ease of use, relative advantage (or benefit), and compatibility

into the webpage of their MSNS to increase seniors’ site attachment. Also, this research

provides senior tourism businesses useful insights about the highly significant effects of

innovation diffusion on authentic experience. In other words, these businesses should design

their MSNS to be understandable, useful, and suitable to enhance seniors’ authentic

experience for tourism purposes. In addition, businesses should take heed of this study’s

findings about the significant effect of uses and gratifications on site attachment. For instance,

marketers should build their MSNS to be informative, socially interactive, and playful in

order to strengthen seniors’ site attachment to their sites. Businesses need to act on this
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study’s findings of the highly significant impact of uses and gratifications on authentic

experience. That is, businesses should add self-efficacy, social relationship, and enjoyment in

the promotion of their MSNS to create seniors’ authentic experience in MSNS for tourism

activities.

The findings enable practitioners to make better-informed decisions on marketing

strategies based on the significant relationship this study found between site attachment and

intention for continuing use. Specifically, MSNS practitioners should develop emotional

involvement and affective connection in the design of the MSNS to improve seniors’

intention for continuing use of the MSNS for travel products and services. Marketers need to

create effective practices based on this study’s finding of a highly significant effect of

authentic experience on intention for continuing use. For instance, stakeholders should input

genuine, exceptional, unique, and original characteristics into the profile of their MSNS to

incentivize seniors’ intention for continuing use for tourism. Further, this study provides

useful insights for the improvement of current MSNS for senior users based on the critical

role of authentic experience. That is, MSNS should bolster and maintain their MSNS for

seniors’ high quality of feelings by adding authentic elements, which, in turn, enable seniors

to become continuously involved in using mobile communication and interaction in MSNS

for tourism.

This study’s findings of the differences between purchase and non-purchase groups in

MSNS offers decision-making implications to the MSNS industry for tourism products and

services as marketing strategies. For instance, these insights could be implemented to market

segmentation according to the purchase or non-purchase group. Specifically, marketers

should foster strategies for market segmentation based on purchasers or non-purchasers by

targeting seniors, rather than as a single homogenous market. For example, when
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practitioners target purchasers, they would motivate uses and gratifications attributes of their

MSNS by stimulating seniors’ self-confidence, friendship, and pleasure through audio and

video contents on MSNS. On the other hand, when stakeholders target non-purchasers, they

would boost innovation diffusion attributes of their MSNS by attracting seniors to feel

convenient, advantageous, and suitable on instant messages and chatting programs in MSNS.

In summary, this study has many practical implications to MSNS stakeholders inspired by the

IDT and GUT as well as differences between purchasers and non-purchasers for the seniors’

market segmentation in the tourism context.

5.3. Limitations and future research directions

As with all studies, this current research has limitations. First, the study's sample is

limited to Korea so that caution should be heeded in generalizing the results of this research.

Second, the question used to differentiate purchases and non-purchases did not ask

respondents to specifically name an MSNS. Future research should specifically ask the names

of MSNS to ensure that respondents answer consistently while thinking of a certain MSNS.

Third, this study focused on seniors’ using mobile devices for social networks. Future

research needs to consider other devices such as wearable devices for social networking such

as a smartwatch. Fourth, this study compared the purchasers and non-purchasers applying the

IDT and UGT model at one point in time. Therefore, further research is needed to support the

validity of the research model, and a future longitudinal study should explore seniors’

purchase behavior for tourism products and services in MSNS over time. Fifth, the scope of

this research focuses on Korea, seniors, and tourism-related uses of MSNS. Accordingly,

future studies are required to extend these specific boundaries of the senior population of
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 35

MSNS users in Korea for travel and tourism activities in order to better generalize the current

implications for the literature on the adoption of MSNS use in general.

Sixth, this study applied IDT and UGT to Korean senior MSNS users for tourism

purposes based on the previous literature (e.g., Chiang, 2013; Stafford et al., 2004), but future

research literature should consider, in addition, the technology adoption model (TAM) and

unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) for information technology

adoption (e.g., Agag & El-Masry, 2016; Karahanna et al., 1999; Venkatesh et al., 2003).

Thus, future research should include the TAM and UTAUT to assess a comparative

explanation of MSNS adoption for general populations in different countries, utilizing

multiple theories and substantiating hypotheses (Sparrowe & Mayer, 2011). Finally, future

research should consider cross-cultural comparison (e.g., between South Korean and USA)

and age difference analysis (e.g., between seniors and non-seniors) to identify what are the

differences and similarities between them regarding using mobile devices for tourism

information.
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 36

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Table 1
Measurement sources and contexts.

Constructs Sources Contexts

Simplicity Agag and El-Masry (2016) IDT; technology acceptance model; online travel
community.
Chiang (2013) IDT; UGT; SNS.
Benefit Al-Jabri and Sohail (2012) IDT; information technology adoption; mobile
banking.
Rogers (1983) IDT; diffusion and adoption; innovativeness and
adopter categories.
Compatibility Robertson (1967) IDT; process of innovation and diffusion; adopter
categories based on relative time of adoption of
innovation.
Waheed et al. (2015) IDT; eBook readers; technology adoption.
Informativeness Stafford et al. (2004) UGT; e-commerce; Internet service provider.
Kim et al. (2017a) MSNS; senior users; tourism and travel purposes.
Social interactivity Ha et al. (2015) UGT; MSNS; mobile instant messengers.
Han et al. (2015) UGT; MSNS; cross-sectional study.
Playfulness Magsamen-Conrad et al. (2015) UGT; tablets; senior users.
Smock et al. (2011) UGT; SNS users; unbundling feature use.
Site attachment Kim et al. (2015, 2016a) Online group-buying; tourism products and services.
ELM; mobile shopping; tourism products.
Authentic experience Gilmore and Pine (2007) Authenticity; fake reality; marketing strategy.
Mkono (2013) Authenticity; online marketing; tourism businesses.
Intention for Kim et al. (2016d, 2016e) SNS; senior users; tourism and travel activities.
continuing use SNS; senior users; and tourism purposes.

Table 2
 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 45

Demographic and general characteristics of respondents.

Characteristics N % Characteristics N %
(500) (100) (500) (100)
Gender Length of experience with MSNS
Male 274 54.8 Less than 6 months 70 14.0
Female 226 45.2 More than 6 to 18 months 175 35.0
Age More than 19 to 36 months 215 43.0
50-59 years old 427 85.4 More than 37 months and over 37 8.0
60 and over 73 14.6 Time spent on MSNS
Educational level Less than 10 minutes 34 6.8
Below or high school 124 24.8 More than 10 to 29 minutes 232 46.4
2-year college 52 10.4 More than 30 to 59 minutes 189 37.8
University 262 52.4 More than 60 minutes and over 45 9.0
Graduate school or higher 62 12.4 Device used to access MSNS
Marital status Smartphone 458 91.6
Married 439 87.8 Tablet (e.g., iPad, Galaxy tab) 42 8.4
Single 25 5.0 Primary motivation for joining MSNS
Divorced 26 5.2 Searching or posting information 402 80.4
Widower/widow 10 2.0 Relationship building or social activities 98 19.6
Monthly household income Place for accessing MSNS
Less than 2.00 million KRW* 43 8.6 Home 320 64.0
2.00 - 3.99 million KRW* 127 25.4 Office 121 24.2
4.00 - 5.99 million KRW 181 36.2 Mobile 59 11.8
6.00 and over million KRW 149 29.8 The most frequently accessed MSNS
Occupation Facebook 89 17.8
Professional 39 7.8 Kakao 85 17.0
Business owner 35 7.0 Naver 49 10.4
Service worker 46 9.2 Coupang 40 8.0
Office worker 150 30.0 Hana tour 30 6.0
Civil servant 20 4.0 Korea Tourism Organization 28 5.6
Home maker 104 20.8 Ticket Monster 11 2.2
Retiree 26 5.2 Twitter 10 2.0
Self-employed 74 14.8 Mode Tour 9 1.8
Blue collar worker 6 1.2 WeMakePrice 6 1.2
*US $1 = 1,166 KRW (Korean won).
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Table 3
Confirmatory factor analysis of measurement model (entire group).

Constructs Factor Mean SDa

loading
Simplicity
1. Interactions using this MSNS for tourism-related activities are clear and understandable. 0.816 4.788 0.915
2. Interactions using this MSNS for tourism-related activities do not require a lot of mental effort. 0.780 4.574 0.965
3. I find using this MSNS for tourism-related activities easy. 0.841 4.876 0.929
4. I find that interactions using this MSNS for tourism-related activities are easy to get what I want. 0.879 4.650 0.991
Benefit
1. Members of this MSNS share knowledge or experiences for tourism-related activities with other 0.851 4.826 1.017
members.
2. This MSNS is useful for gathering information for tourism-related activities. 0.833 5.076 0.894
3. Members benefit from this MSNS for tourism-related activities. 0.810 4.786 0.939
4. Members of this MSNS form friendships with others for tourism-related activities. 0.821 4.522 1.083
Compatibility
1. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities is compatible with all aspects of my life. 0.875 4.284 1.011
2. I think that using this MSNS for tourism-related activities fits well with the way I like to 0.917 4.456 1.013
communicate.
3. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities fits into my lifestyle. 0.925 4.388 1.041
4. I think that using this MSNS for tourism-related activities suites me. 0.920 4.500 1.037
Informativeness
1. On this MSNS for tourism-related activities, I can use various multimedia mode of 0.893 4.608 1.055
communication.
2. On this MSNS for tourism-related activities, I can use various electronic modes of 0.877 4.702 1.058
communication.
3. On this MSNS for tourism-related activities, I can share diverse knowledge. 0.915 4.834 1.014
4. On this MSNS for tourism-related activities, I can search diverse information. 0.838 5.036 0.974
Social interactivity
1. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities enables me to create interpersonal relationships 0.895 4.484 1.062
with other members.
2. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities helps me maintain social relationships with other 0.932 4.428 1.086
members.
3. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities helps me make new friends. 0.932 4.364 1.134
4. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities enhances my social relationships with others. 0.934 4.426 1.117
Playfulness
1. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities is enjoyable for me. 0.912 4.848 0.900
2. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities is pleasurable for me. 0.936 4.758 0.911
3. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities is fun for me. 0.903 4.842 0.925
4. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities keeps me happy. 0.884 4.568 1.016
Site attachment
1. I am deeply involved in using this MSNS for tourism-related activities. 0.833 4.508 1.055
2. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities is part of me. 0.904 3.806 1.171
3. I am attached to using this MSNS for tourism-related activities. 0.925 4.024 1.189
4. Using this MSNS for tourism-related activities is important to me. 0.920 4.196 1.188
Authentic experience
1. The MSNS provides me with authentic experiences. 0.871 4.386 1.006
2. The MSNS provides me with genuine experiences. 0.913 4.332 1.028
3. The MSNS provides me with exceptional experiences. 0.931 4.370 1.079
4. The MSNS provides me with unique experiences. 0.907 4.276 1.069
5. Overall, The MSNS provides me with original experiences. 0.904 4.382 1.076
Intention for continuing use
1. I will add some new information for tourism-related activities in this MSNS on a regular basis in 0.853 4.526 1.079
the future.
2. I will frequently update this MSNS for tourism-related activities in the future. 0.864 4.430 1.128
3. I will search for the information on tourism-related activities on this MSNS regularly. 0.864 4.860 1.001
4. I will continue to use this MSNS for tourism-related activities. 0.871 5.018 1.012
Note: All items were measured on 7-point Likert scales of the range. aStandard deviation.
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Table 4
Reliability and discriminant validity (entire group).

Model Construct AVE Correlation of the constructs

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
Entire (1) Simplicity 0.690 0.831
group (2) Benefit 0.687 0.653 0.829
(3) Compatibility 0.827 0.618 0.601 0.909
(4) Informativeness 0.777 0.622 0.618 0.532 0.881
(5) Social interactivity 0.843 0.514 0.603 0.554 0.622 0.918
(6) Playfulness 0.826 0.584 0.594 0.702 0.558 0.537 0.909
(7) Site attachment 0.803 0.533 0.496 0.700 0.501 0.505 0.658 0.869
(8) Authentic experience 0.819 0.610 0.619 0.694 0.599 0.584 0.672 0.695 0.950
(9) Intention for 0.745 0.579 0.610 0.702 0.565 0.562 0.646 0.608 0.684 0.863
continuing use
Cronbach’s α 0.850 0.848 0.930 0.904 0.938 0.930 0.918 0.945 0.886
Composite reliability 0.899 0.898 0.950 0.933 0.956 0.950 0.942 0.958 0.921
Note: According to Bhattacherjee and Sanford (2006, p. 815), “for adequate discriminant validity, diagonal elements of the
square roots of AVEs should be greater than their corresponding off-diagonal elements of the correction of the constructs.”
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Table 5
Comparison of path coefficients between purchase and non-purchase groups.

Non- p value
Purchase t-value Test of
Hypothesis Path purchase (A-B)
group (A) (A-B) hypothesis
group (B)
H1a Innovation diffusion → Site attachment 0.335*** 0.504*** -22.624 <0.001 Supported
H2a Innovation diffusion → Authentic experience 0.392*** 0.486*** -12.433 <0.001 Supported
H3a Uses/gratifications → Site attachment 0.386*** 0.249***. 17.819 <0.001 Supported
H4a Uses/gratifications → Authentic experience 0.411***. 0.343***. 9.311 <0.001 Supported

R2: Coefficient of determination (variance explained)

The purchase group: Site attachment (46.9%); Authentic experience (58.0%)
The non-purchase group: Site attachment (52.3%); Authentic experience (62.8%)
***p<0.001.
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Fig. 1. Proposed research model.

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Note: ***p<0.001. The figures in the parentheses are t-value.

Fig. 2. Results of the research model for the entire group.
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Note: ***p<0.001. Four control variables of gender, age, educational level, and monthly
household income, and occupation were linked to authentic experience and intention for
continuing use.

Fig. 3. Entire model considering four control variables.

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HIGHLIGHTS

 Seniors participate extensively in mobile social network sites (MSNS)

 Innovation diffusion and uses/gratifications explain the use of MSNS among seniors

 Innovation diffusion significantly influences seniors’ authentic experience on MSNS

 Uses/gratifications significantly influence seniors’ authentic experience on MSNS

 There is a significant difference between purchase and non-purchase groups on MSNS