The effect of role conflict on self‐disclosure in social network sites: An integrated perspective of boundary regulation and dual process model

Abstract As people increasingly integrate social network sites (SNSs) into their daily lives, their social connections on SNSs become more diverse, including their friends, co‐workers, and relatives. In such a context, users may receive different role expectations from their various social circles and experience role conflict in their usage of SNSs. Furthermore, previous literature suggests that people may not always make privacy‐related decisions through effortful and deliberate information processing. Drawing on the perspective of boundary regulation and dual process theories, this study clarifies the consequences of role conflict on SNSs. A theoretical model is developed to examine the effect of role conflict regarding privacy risk and perceived control, which, in turn, impact self‐disclosure behaviour, as well as how this process is moderated by high‐ versus low‐effort processing. The results of 4 experiments provide strong support for our model. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.