Facebook Push Notification as Triggers for Habit-Forming Feedback Loops

This abstract analyses if push notifications of social media (SM) to users lead are the starting point for habit-forming feedback loops according to the hook concept based on the example of Facebook push notifications. Facebook push notifications are conceptualized as starting point of a chain of persuasive offerings that result in Facebook triggered escapism. A push notification is successful, i.e. has high persuasiveness when addressed users react on it, enter the platform and stay longer in Facebook. Thus, through reacting on push notifications users get immersed into Facebook’s entertainment and media offerings, which results in a triggered escapist consumption of the offered content by the platform. The empirical results reveal that self-control is negatively related to triggered Facebook escapism. Usability of push Facebook notifications is positively related to triggered Facebook escapism. Triggered Facebook escapism furthermore results in positive effects for users in term of enjoyment, autonomy, competence and relatedness. It is negatively related to feeling of guilt.