Zhu, Dong Hong, and Ya Ping Chang. "Understanding motivations for continuance intention of online communities in China: A comparison of active users of social networking sites and virtual communities." Information Development 30.2 (2014): 172-180.

This study delves into the motivations behind the use of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) and Virtual Communities (VCs), and how these motivations influence users' intentions to continue using these platforms. The research reveals that motivations such as connecting with old friends, meeting new people, seeking information, entertainment, and social support are significant for both SNSs and VCs users. However, SNS users have a stronger motivation to reconnect with old friends compared to VC users. The study further finds that the motivations for seeking information and social support similarly impact the continuance intention for both types of communities through users' attitudes. In contrast, the motivations to connect with old friends and meet new people show distinct effects on the continuance intention between SNSs and VCs users, highlighting the nuanced differences in how these platforms fulfill users' social needs.