• International Journal of Contents
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.21-33
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• 2022

Previous research has provided inconsistent findings as to whether socially (in)competent individuals benefit from social networking sites (SNSs) use. Based on the rich-get-richer model, some studies have shown that socially competent individuals expand their existing networks even further via SNSs use. Based on the poor-get-richer model, other studies have shown that those with poor social skills can achieve beneficiary outcomes from SNSs use by overcoming their deficient social resources of offline environments. The present study is devised to add evidence regarding how and why social skills are related to SNSs use. To this end, we tested the relationships between social competence and three types of Facebook communication activities: interaction, self-presentation, and passive observation. Further, drawing on the social cognitive theory, the mediating role of outcome expectancy in the relationship between social competence and Facebook communication activities was examined. Using an online survey in South Korea (N = 708), it was found that individuals with higher social competence were more likely than those with lower social competence to engage in interaction, self-presentation, passive observation on Facebook. Moreover, these relationships were mediated by outcome expectancy that the desired social outcomes could be achieved as a result of Facebook use.