From frequency of use to social integration: The mediation ofroutinization and infusion in Tuenti community

Abstract

This study examines post-adoption behaviors (i.e., frequency of use, routinization and infusion) and theireffects on the sense of community in the domain of social network sites. In particular, this contributionformulates mediation hypotheses, which posit how frequency of use affects social integration via rou-tinization and infusion. The data was collected from 278 users of Tuenti, a highly-popular social networksite among the Spanish college student population during the period 2006–2012. Results from partialleast squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) show these sophisticated types of usage are inter-related in such a way that routinization and infusion (a) fully mediate the effect of frequency of use onsocial integration; and (b) exert significant influences on social integration, as an active sense of belong-ingness to a social network site. In order to attain social integration, it is therefore essential for managersto devise strategies to foster advanced post-adoption behaviors.