Examining Students’ Intended Image on Facebook: “What Were They Thinking?!”

Abstract

The present article examines factors that influence why students post information on their social network profile which employers would find inappropriate. Results show that many students make a conscious attempt to portray a particular image and, as predicted, their intended image was related to whether they posted inappropriate information. Those who believed they portrayed a hardworking image were unlikely to post inappropriate information, whereas students who felt they portrayed an image that was sexually appealing, wild, or offensive were most likely to post such information. Limitations, implications for business education, and directions for future research are discussed.