Understanding Users’ Urge to Post Online Reviews: A Study Based on Existence, Relatedness, and Growth Theory

Abstract

Online user-generated content continues to attract the attention of practitioners and academics. However, there is limited research on the fundamental motivations and psychological factors underpinning users’ urge to post online. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the impact of users’ existence, relatedness, and growth needs on intrinsic and extrinsic motivations and their urge to post online reviews. In addition, it examines the moderating effect of website features (i.e., perceived critical mass, brand awareness, and information quality) on such an impact. A regression analysis reveals that existence and growth needs have a significantly higher and more positive impact on intrinsic motivations than on extrinsic motivations. Relatedness needs, on the other hand, has a significantly higher and more positive influence on extrinsic motivations. Further, this study shows that existence, relatedness, and growth needs have a significant direct effect on the urge to post online reviews. It also confirms that website features significantly moderate the relationship between intrinsic motivations and the urge to post online reviews. In particular, perceived critical mass has a significantly moderating effect on the relationship between extrinsic motivations and the urge to post online reviews. The study concludes with the academic and managerial implications of its findings, its research limitations, and directions for future research.