Shifting from autograph to Selfie: consumer self in the Facebook world

The recent revolution of information technology has diffused Facebook widely among consumers, and it has a considerable impact on consumer self and modern marketing communication. Purpose of this study is to investigate the acceptance and impact of dematerialized Facebook possessions on consumer extended self. The theoretical foundation of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and extended self were used to develop the hypotheses of the study. The current study is based on primary data collected through a self-administered questionnaire, among a sample of 327 Sri Lankan undergraduates. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLSSEM) was used to estimate the path coefficients and test the hypotheses developed in the study. Findings reconfirmed the original TAM relationships, enabling the use of TAM in identifying the predictors for accepting dematerialized Facebook possessions. Moreover, findings revealed that dematerialized Facebook possession usage extended consumer self. Theoretical and practical implications of these study and directions for further research are discussed.