A Study On The Factors Influencing WeChat Friend Circle Burnout And Its Behavioral Consequences Among Youth Groups

We are in an era of hyper-connectivity,where more and more people are experiencing digital burnout.The ebbing of enthusiasm for social media is a phenomenon that cannot be ignored.However,existing studies still mostly investigate the adoption and continuous use of new technologies from the perspective of innovation diffusion,but less on technology burnout and "Non-use".Based on Expectation Confirmation Theory,this research adopts survey and in-depth interviews as research method,and uses quantitative data analysis to examine,from a microscopic perspective,the relationship between Confirmation,Burnout,and Non-use behavior based on users’ "Expectations”,with qualitative interviews added to further explore the subtle emotional motivations behind.The study found that Privacy Expectation Disconfirmation,Social Expectation Disconfirmation and Information Expectation Disconfirmation were the main factors explaining Burnout in the We Chat Friend Circle.Moreover,the study found a significant partial mediation effect between Expectation Disconfirmation and "Non-use" behavior.Through semi-structured in-depth interviews with "observers",the study concluded that the fragmentation of interpersonal and contextual cues in the We Chat Friend Circle significantly reduces the perceived safety of media users,and when the potential risks of self-disclosure exceed the expected benefits,users’ stated expectations cannot be confirmed,leading them to adopt defensive impression management strategies and reconfigure privacy boundaries through "Non-use" behaviors.Users seek an ideal balance in their social networks by self-regulating themselves in the contradictions and tensions while domesticating technologies.Moreover,although the results of the data analysis did not verify the correlation between Immersion Expectations Disconfirmation and "Burnout",the data from the qualitative interviews still support this relationship: the overuse and compulsive use impose a high time cost burden on users and further intensify their excessive attention to others’ evaluations and interactive feedback.The expectation of being "always online" increases users’ fear-of-missing-out and exacerbates the risk of negatively impacting individual character building in a prolonged dimension.While previous studies have tended to focus on the transition from "non-users" to "active users" of technology,this study,on the other hand,focuses more on the socialization of technology and people,arguing that "Non-use" behavior is a legitimate adjustment mechanism and reasonable posture adopted by media users in the face of the current social network environment of low-quality information overload and overwhelming interpersonal relationships.In the process of domesticating technology,users accomplish self-empowerment centered on individual will.It is also in this process of revision and negotiation that the socialization process of individuals is continuously promoted.In summary,the findings of the study have positive theoretical implications for understanding changes in user psychology and behavioral trends in the current social media environment,and have practical reference value for individuals’ media use behavior decisions.