Title: Moderating effects of app type on the intention of continued use of mobile apps among college students

Authors: Wei Peng; Shupei Yuan; Wenjuan Ma

Addresses: Department of Media and Information, Michigan State University, 404 Wilson, Room 409, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA ' Department of Communication, Northern Illinois University, Reavis Hall, Room 117, DeKalb, IL, 60115, USA ' Center for Statistical Training and Consulting (CSTAT), Michigan State University, 293 Farm Lane, Room 178B, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA

Abstract: With the increasing popularity of mobile apps, research on their adoption and acceptance is also on the rise. However, an important yet understudied area is the continued use of initial adoption. Additionally, although there are a variety of mobile apps, most previous research either examines one type of mobile app or treats all types of mobile apps as one homogenous entity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the moderating effects of app type on the intention of continued use among the three most popular types of mobile app (social networking, game, and productivity apps). A survey (N = 790) with young adults was conducted based on the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2). The structural equation modelling results demonstrated the moderating effects of app type on the factors in UTAUT2 on the intention of continued use. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Keywords: UTAUT2; extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology; technology acceptance; mobile apps; structural equation modelling; hedonic motivation; social influence; performance expectancy; intention of continued use; young adults.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2018.095131

International Journal of Mobile Communications, 2018 Vol.16 No.6, pp.715 - 734

Accepted: 25 Sep 2017
Published online: 01 Oct 2018 *

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