Purpose

Motivating users to revisit a social networking site (SNS) by developing a long-term relationship with them is critical for SNS operators to enhance market control and competitiveness. By conceptualizing loyalty intention as an indicator of the long-term relationship, the present study, based on uses and gratification (U&G) theory, aims to explore the role played by online intimacy development with respect to loyalty intention when individuals have gained gratifications through using the SNS.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a questionnaire measuring six types of Facebook gratifications as well as measuring self-disclosure breadth, self-disclosure depth, intimacy with Facebook, intimacy with Facebook friends and loyalty intention. Data, collected from the University of Economics in Vietnam, were analyzed using the partial least squares (PLS) approach.

Findings

The results support several findings: (1) the gratifications including entertainment, network extension, recognition and emotional support provided by Facebook may stimulate the users' intimacy with Facebook and/or Facebook users; (2) intimacy with Facebook and intimacy with Facebook friends facilitate users' loyalty intention; (3) having a sense of emotional support influences users to engage in self-disclosure with breadth and meaningful depth, thus leading them to develop a sense of intimacy with Facebook friends.

Originality/value

The study contributes to U&G research, intimacy theory and the SNS literature by offering an understanding of users' online communication self-disclosure and intimacy development, wherein the self-disclosure and intimacy stem from the users' gratifications via using specific SNS services and, in turn, create their loyalty intention toward that SNS.

中文翻译：

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Facebook 上的在线交流自我披露和亲密关系发展：使用和满足理论的视角

目的

通过与用户建立长期关系来激励用户重新访问社交网站 (SNS)，对于 SNS 运营商提高市场控制力和竞争力至关重要。通过将忠诚意向概念化为长期关系的指标，本研究基于使用和满足（U&G）理论，旨在探讨当个人通过使用获得满足时在线亲密关系发展对忠诚意向的影响。社交网络。

设计/方法/方法

该研究使用了一份问卷，测量六种类型的 Facebook 满足感，并测量自我披露的广度、自我披露的深度、与 Facebook 的亲密程度、与 Facebook 朋友的亲密程度和忠诚度意图。使用偏最小二乘 (PLS) 方法分析从越南经济大学收集的数据。

发现

结果支持以下几个发现： (1) Facebook 提供的包括娱乐、网络扩展、认可和情感支持在内的满足感可能会刺激用户与 Facebook 和/或 Facebook 用户的亲密度；(2)与Facebook的亲密度和与Facebook好友的亲密度有利于用户的忠诚意愿；(3)情感支持感会影响用户进行广泛而有意义的自我披露，从而导致他们与Facebook好友产生亲密感。

原创性/价值

该研究通过提供对用户在线交流自我披露和亲密发展的理解，为 U&G 研究、亲密理论和 SNS 文献做出贡献，其中自我披露和亲密源于用户通过使用特定的 SNS 服务的满足感，在反过来，创造他们对该 SNS 的忠诚意图。