| Abstract: |
Purpose: In this article we aim to model social media users' behavior in
relation with the use of specified Facebook pages and groups, related to
eHealth, specifically to healthy diet and sport activities. The study
represents to the best of our knowledge the first region-focused on a specific
geographical area research. Methods: The users' personality is measured
through the well-known Big Five model and the behavior is predicted with the
Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Structural Equation Modeling is used in
order to statistically control the associations among the diverse observed and
latent variables. Results: The results suggest an extended theory of planned
behavior in combination with personality traits, on eHealth field. Openness
and Extraversion do not seem to have positive effect on Attitude. Users'
attitude can be affected positively from Agreeableness and Subjective Norms,
guiding to finally positive affection of users' actual behavior. Agreeableness
cannot influence behavior, directly, nor through SN, since the hypothesis path
A-SN is not verified, but it can through Attitude. Neuroticism was negatively
correlated to PBC but this hypothesis was not, also, confirmed in the proposed
model. Implications: While literature confirms all of our hypotheses, in our
study only 8 in 12 are finally confirmed. The difference between the present
model and literature findings can be located on the different cultural
dimensions among the different studies. The present survey is focused on the
Greek region with all the participants to be Greeks. This location-based
limitation could be surpassed by conducting the same research on different
geographical regions and then confront the outcomes. |