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Interpreting Social Identity in Online Brand Communities: Considering Posters and Lurkers
Mousavi, S. Roper, Stuart Keeling, K.
Mousavi, S.
Roper, Stuart
Keeling, K.
Publication Date
2017-04
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© 2017 Wiley. This is the peer-reviewed version of the following article:
Mousavi S, Roper S and Keeling K (2017) Interpreting Social Identity in Online Brand
Communities: Considering Posters and Lurkers. Psychology and Marketing. 34(4): 376-393,
which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mar.20995. This article may
be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for SelfArchiving.
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openAccess
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2016-05
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Abstract
This study investigates the psychological effects of social identity on both posters and lurkers in online brand communities (OBCs). The results reveal the intermediate mechanisms mediating and moderating members’ social identity effects on members’ brand commitment leading to positive word-of-mouth and their resistance to negative information about the brand. This article treats social identity as a multi-dimensional construct. Differences amongst posters and lurkers on the relationships between the cognitive, affective and evaluative components of social identity are investigated along with their positive effect on brand commitment and behavioral consequences. Using a sample of 752 OBC members, both posters and lurkers emerge as valuable members and equally likely to derive social identity from their membership of an OBC. However, there are counter intuitive results for relationships within the research model between active and passive members of OBCs. These results offer implications for theory and can help managers to be better interactive marketers.
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Accepted manuscript
Citation
Mousavi S, Roper S and Keeling K (2017) Interpreting Social Identity in Online Brand Communities: Considering Posters and Lurkers. Psychology and Marketing. 34(4): 376-393.
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Article