Ict usage, social networks, interactivity, and satisfaction: an exploration of travel behavior for students from three European countries

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on students’ travel and social behaviors in three European cities: Lisbon, Granada, and Zagreb. Drawing on a sample of 2,455 university students, the research examines the interplay between ICT usage (ICTU), social network size (SNS), perceived usefulness (PU) of ICT, patterns of interaction behavior (IB) (both online and face-to-face), and overall satisfaction (SA) with social relationships. The study employs structural equation modelling to capture both direct and indirect relationships among these factors, and incorporates a MIMIC approach to account for socio-demographic and contextual heterogeneity. The results show that ICT usage has mostly indirect effects on perceived usefulness, interaction behavior, and satisfaction, operating through social network size and interaction behavior. Social network size acts as a key mediator, linking ICT use to other variables, and is also the strongest predictor of interaction behavior. Similarly, perceived usefulness and traditional social networks emerge as the most influential factors shaping satisfaction. The findings confirm that online interactions tend to reinforce, rather than replace, face-to-face contact. Furthermore, a larger traditional network is associated with a larger online network, though not vice versa. Overall, the study highlights the complex, mediated pathways through which ICT use shapes young people’s social engagement and satisfaction, offering valuable insights for transport researchers and policymakers seeking to understand evolving mobility patterns.