Privacy Concerns Versus Desire for Interpersonal Awareness in Driving the Use of Self-Disclosure Technologies: The Case of Instant Messaging in Two Cultures

• Published in: Journal of management information systems Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 163 - 200
• Main Authors: Lowry, Paul Benjamin, Cao, Jinwei, Everard, Andrea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01-04-2011; M. E. Sharpe; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: China; Chinese culture; Computer technology; Cross cultural studies; Cultural influence; Desire; Disclosure; Health care information privacy; Information and communication technologies; Information storage and retrieval systems; Information technology; Instant messaging; Interpersonal communication; Masculinity; Messages; Modelling; New technology; Personal information; Privacy; Psychological attitudes; self-disclosure; self-disclosure technologies; social computing technologies; Social exchange; Social exchange theory; theory of reasoned action; U.S.A
• ISSN: 0742-1222; 1557-928X
• DOI: 10.2753/MIS0742-1222270406

Social computing technologies typically have multiple features that allow users to reveal their personal information to other users. Such self-disclosure (SD) behavior is generally considered positive and beneficial in interpersonal communication and relationships. Using a newly proposed model based on social exchange theory, this paper investigates and empirically validates the relationships between SD technology use and culture. In particular, we explore the effects of culture on information privacy concerns and the desire for online interpersonal awareness, which influence attitudes toward, intention to use, and actual use of SD technologies. Our model was tested using arguably the strongest social computing technology for online SD-instant messaging (IM)-with users from China and the United States. Our findings reveal that cross-cultural dimensions are significant predictors of information privacy concerns and desire for online awareness, which are, in turn, found to be predictors of attitude toward, intention to use, and actual use of IM. Overall, our proposed model is applicable to both cultures. Our findings enhance the theoretical understanding of the effects of culture and privacy concerns on SD technologies and provide practical suggestions for developers of SD technologies, such as adding additional control features to applications.