‘Generation Facebook’ – A Cognitive Calculus Model of Teenage User Behavior on Social Network Sites

With the growing popularity of Facebook, the number of teenage users has significantly increased. Parents and teachersobserve this development critically as they fear that teenagers are prone to over-engage in pleasant activities and neglectthe risks connected with information revelation. This paper adopts an explorative approach in order to investigate whatmotivates and hinders teenagers to use SNS and how using this medium affects their identities. By applying GroundedTheory to analyze data obtained in interviews, we formulate a conceptual model of teenage behavior on Facebook. Wefind that teenagers behave rationally on SNS, consciously weighing the benefits against the costs and acting inaccordance with their preferences. Shared information and the diversified network structure allow teenagers to obtainsupport in school-related matters, broaden their horizon and intensify relationships with their peers. At the same time,peer and parental pressure play a significant role in this process