Predicting Intention to Share Information on Commercial Websites Based on Personality Traits

Purpose The growing popularity of e-commerce, in recent years, has led to an increase in sharing information in cyberspace. Personality traits are one of the most effective personal factors in sharing information on business websites. This study aims to investigate the relationship between personality traits and intention to share information on commercial websites. Design/methodology/approach In this survey study, structural equation modeling was used. The statistical population of this study consisted of 385 Iranian students. Two questionnaires, i.e. personality traits and intention to share information, were used to collect the required data. The validity of the research instruments was estimated by calculating the average variance extracted. Furthermore, the reliability was assessed and confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and composite reliability. Data analysis was performed with AMOS and partial least squares statistical software. Findings The results indicated that the components of personality traits including authoritarianism, self-esteem, locus of control and adaptation had a significant positive effect on intention to share information. Originality/value In this study, the authors designed a model to examine the effect of personality traits on intention to share information on commercial websites.