Normative Interpersonal Influence Research Articles

Network Interaction Utility of User-Generated Content and Destination Image Perception

The overall aim of this article is to construct and empirically validate a theoretical model about how network interaction utility based on user-generated content in virtual tourism communities influences tourism destination image perception with susceptibility to interpersonal influence as a moderating variable. Seventeen hypotheses are proposed after theoretical deduction and are then tested. A presurvey with 63 valid questionnaires and a formal survey with 432 valid questionnaires were conducted. Then the researchers used reliability analysis, factor analysis, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and hierarchical regression. The results show that susceptibility to informational interpersonal influence plays a significantly negative moderating role in the relationship between instrumental utility and cognitive image perception and the relationship between psychological utility and cognitive or affective image perception. Susceptibility to normative interpersonal influence significantly negatively moderates the relationship between psychological utility and cognitive or affective image perception. The findings and marketing implications helps destination marketing organizations reasonably plan tourism resources utilization and tourism product development to build or maintain a sustainable destination.

Firstborns buy better for the greater good: Birth order differences in green consumption values

Despite multiple studies on the role of birth order in shaping human personality, marketing literature has largely neglected its role in shaping consumer behavior. We conducted a high-powered birth-order study on several consumption-related measures (Nmain analyses = 1358), which consistently enabled us to detect effect sizes even smaller than d = 0.20 with a power of 0.90. Participants filled out scales measuring susceptibility to normative interpersonal influence, the need for uniqueness, and the tendency to express the value of environmental protection through purchases and consumption behaviors. At a general level, we did not find any support for the notion that firstborns (vs. laterborns) are more susceptible to normative interpersonal influence or have a lower need for uniqueness. However, we found robust results regarding green consumption values, with firstborns valuing sustainability and proenvironmental consumption more than laterborns. Considering the number of consumers with siblings in the world and bearing in mind the ease with which birth-order data can be collected, these findings may have implications for activities aimed at mitigating climate change. However, the novel nature of our results calls for appropriate caution.

Exploring consumers’ attitude formation toward their own brands when in crisis: cross-national comparisons between USA and China

PurposeThis study aims to examine how culture influences consumer attitudes toward the brands of products they own during a product-harm crisis. To this end, average consumers from two countries - the USA, representing a highly individualistic society and China, a less individualistic (i.e. collectivist) society – are compared.Design/methodology/approachThe study conducts an invariance test of the measurement model for a more rigorous comparison of the two countries. Structural equation modeling is performed to identify how average consumers respond to a product-harm crisis (e.g. iPhone explosion) based on survey results of 188 American and 197 Chinese consumers.FindingsThese results reveal that in both countries, an individual’s susceptibility to a normative interpersonal influence determines their brand consciousness, which, in turn, enhances consumer attachment to well-known brands, resulting in favorable brand attitudes. During a brand crisis, an owned brand’s buffering effect is observed among consumers high in brand consciousness in collectivistic but not in individualistic societies. The moderating role of feelings of betrayal on the brand attachment-consumer attitude relationship is also reported.Originality/valueCulture shapes consumer behavioral patterns. In today’s global market, a company’s decisions are no longer limited by borders and many companies experience product failures. Thus, findings that show consumers’ distinguishable psychological experiences between different cultures contribute to crisis management literature.

How are fans teams’ consumption behaviors impacted by their federations’ innovativeness perceived organizational legitimacy

Fans’ consumption intentions towards their favourite teams’ products and services are essential outcome variables for sport federations and clubs. However, the factors that could affect these outcomes are not yet clear. This study analyzes how the fandom level and the innovativeness’s perceived organizational legitimacy impact their fans’ consumption intentions. Data was collected in Costa Rica by using a structured questionnaire. The results show that consumption intentions behaviour are partially mediated by the innovativeness perceived organizational legitimacy. Moreover, the multimedia consumption intention is moderated by normative interpersonal influence. Specifically, fans use the National Football team as a tool for their self-identity; while judgements made towards the National Football Federation’s innovation’ capacity to open new markets, regulate their consumption intentions. Hence, federations should create innovative legitimacy policies to ensure fans’ consumption intentions. These findings contribute to Social Identity and Social Judgement Theories showing how they are intertwined in a sport context.

Gender and Socioeconomic Class Differences in Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence

Susceptibility to interpersonal influence is a behavioral outcome of the consumer socialization process and can affect the consumers’ purchasing decision-making process and buying behavior. There are three main antecedents to interpersonal influence on susceptibility, namely personal traits, age, and social structural variables. Factors like gender, socioeconomic class, family size, and race are considered social structural variables. This research was conducted to investigate the social structural (gender and socioeconomic class) differences in the levels of susceptibility to interpersonal influence of the population of India. The data was collected through a set of online questionnaires. The research findings indicate that there is no gender or socioeconomic class differences in the levels of susceptibility to interpersonal influence. However, when assessing each dimension of the scale separately, it was found that males are more susceptible to normative interpersonal influence than females.

Sua personalidade vai ao shopping? Relações entre personalidade e a compra por impulso

Este estudo teve o objetivo de testar o poder preditivo dos cinco grandes fatores de personalidade, da influência interpessoal e de variáveis sociodemográficas sobre a compra por impulso. Participaram do estudo 1.296 brasileiros, média de idade de 35,8 anos (DP = 12,8), escolaridade mínima de Ensino Médio incompleto. Os resultados mostraram relações da compra por impulso com variáveis sociodemográficas, hábitos de consumo e personalidade. O modelo de regressão explicou 23% da variância da compra por impulso, sendo os maiores poderes preditivos o da influência interpessoal normativa e o do fator de personalidade neuroticismo, ambos preditores positivos; seguidos do hábito de fazer lista de compra e do fator conscienciosidade, como negativos. Os resultados confirmam o poder preditivo de fatores de personalidade, hábitos de consumo e variáveis sociodemográficas sobre o comportamento de compra por impulso.

From desire to help to taking action: Effects of personal traits and social media on market mavens’ diffusion of information

AbstractWhile extant research has studied traits of market mavens and the link from mavenism to market helping behavior, there is a need for more research to understand personal and contextual factors that influence actual recommendations of products and differences among market mavens with different traits in that respect. In this study, we took research in the area of market mavenism one step further and investigated the role of personal traits such as self‐esteem and susceptibility to normative interpersonal influence, and the contextual factor of social media, in the frequency of recommendations. We hypothesize that while market mavens with lower self‐esteem are likely to engage in less frequent recommendations, negative effect of their lower self‐esteem is attenuated when they use social media platforms as their medium of choice. Our findings lend support to our hypotheses, including the triple interaction effect between self‐esteem, choice of social media, and market mavenism on market recommendations.

Modeling specialty store customers’ buy/no-buy decisions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop, test, and validate a model in a specialty retail environment to assess the influence of a salesperson’s sales- or customer-orientation and customer characteristics related to buy/no-buy decisions. Design/methodology/approach Backward stepwise discriminant analysis was used to identify variables that most differentiated buyers from non-buyers. The discriminant model was estimated with survey data provided by a judgment sample of consumers asked to recall details about a recent in-store purchase experience (n=240). One significant discriminant function emerged. The model correctly classified 87.5 percent of buy/no-buy decisions by consumers in a separate validation sample (n=40). Findings Customers who believe a salesperson is sales oriented (i.e. only interested in closing) are more likely to make a no-buy decision even when retailer-related attributes – such as positive prior experience with the retailer, susceptibility to normative interpersonal influence, and positive attitude toward retailing – suggest otherwise. Surprisingly, neither customer orientation nor susceptibility to interpersonal informational influence relates significantly to making a buy/no-buy decision. Practical implications Specialty retailers should avoid a sales-outcome-based orientation. To add value in a competitive marketplace where buyers can avoid salespeople, the focus of a sales interaction should be on identifying customer needs and characteristics. Originality/value Adaptations of sales people’s personas and selling efforts – fostered by new managerial training practices – and the need for specialty retailers to adopt behavior-based control systems are suggested. In addition, sales or customer orientation typically is reported by the salesperson. Here, customers’ belief – which is more germane to modeling buy/no-buy decisions – designates the salesperson’s orientation.

Tie strength, green expertise, and interpersonal influences on the purchase of organic food in an emerging market

PurposeSet in an emerging economy context, the purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of green consumers’ purchase behavior on organic food by analyzing the impact of word-of-mouth (WOM) effects (i.e. tie strength, sender’s green expertise, receiver’s green expertise), conformity behaviors (i.e. normative interpersonal influence and informational interpersonal influence) on green purchase intention, and the relationship between green purchase intention and green purchase behavior.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by self-administered questionnaire completed by respondents who had purchase experience of organic food in the last six months. The specific context of this study is green consumption for organic food in Taiwan. Data collection was implemented in a convenience sampling method. Among the 578 consumers who had filled the questionnaire, 147 did not have any purchase history of organic food, resulting in a final usable sample of 431 (response rate 74.57 percent) in Taiwan. The data were collected during a five-week period in late 2015.FindingsThrough structural equation modeling analysis, data were analyzed and the empirical results indicate that tie strength, sender’s green expertise, and receiver’s green expertise have a positive influence on green consumer’s susceptibility to informational interpersonal influences and normative interpersonal influences, separately. In addition, informational interpersonal influences and normative interpersonal influences both have a positive relationship on green purchase intention, which will further positively influence the green purchase behavior.Originality/valueThis study reminds marketers of the impact of WOM effects as well as interpersonal influences on consumers. It examines the impact of tie strength, senders’ green expertise, and receivers’ green expertise on green purchase intention and green purchase behavior. This study also explores the mediation effects of green consumers’ susceptibility to interpersonal influences. Consumers’ susceptibility to interpersonal influence is discussed in the marketing literature. However, few prior studies have explored its effect in the green setting. Last, few attempts have discussed the relationship between green purchase intention and green purchase behavior. This study contributes to the literature by examine the relationship between green purchase intentions and green purchase behavior.

The Influence of Green Viral Communications on Green Purchase Intentions: The Mediating Role of Consumers’ Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influences

This paper aims to incorporate the diffusion of innovation theory and conformity theory to explain consumers’ green purchase intentions. To this end, a conceptual model has been proposed and subjected to empirical verification with the use of a survey method. Using a sample of Taiwanese consumers who had the actual purchase experience of green detergents, this study employed structural equation modeling to verify the hypothesis proposed. The empirical results suggested that green viral communication was positively related to normative interpersonal influence, informational interpersonal influence and green purchase intention. Informational interpersonal influence also had a positive impact on green purchase intention. However, the relationship between consumer’s normative interpersonal influence and green purchase intention was not supported. Thus, this study concludes that green marketers must strengthen their green viral communications skills to enhance consumers’ purchase intentions. In addition, this study also contributes to the literature by stating that consumers’ susceptibility to informational interpersonal relationships is an important mediator in the green viral communication and green purchase intentions relationship. This study discusses implications of the findings and research limitations at the end of the paper.

정보원의 사회적 거리감에 따른 기업 페이스북 페이지에서의 광고 효과 : 메시지의 노골적 설득 의도, 규범적 대인민감성, 정보적 대인민감성의 조절 효과를 중심으로

정보원의 사회적 거리감에 따른 기업 페이스북 페이지에서의 광고 효과 : 메시지의 노골적 설득 의도, 규범적 대인민감성, 정보적 대인민감성의 조절 효과를 중심으로

Drivers of attitudes toward luxury brands

Purpose– Limited attention has been paid to the cultural influences on the formation of consumer attitudes toward luxury brands (LUX). The purpose of this paper is to investigate this relationship by developing a model that additionally employs the constructs of susceptibility to normative interpersonal influence (SNII) and brand consciousness (BCO).Design/methodology/approach– Sample data were gathered through surveys administered to 383 college students in the UK and Taiwan. The model of cultural influences on attitudes toward luxury brands was empirically tested using multi-group structural equation modeling to evaluate its applicability across the two countries.Findings– Results are presented in two parts: first, the exogenous construct part of the model establishing the reliability and validity of the cultural dimension constructs (horizontal individualism, vertical individualism, horizontal collectivism, and vertical collectivism) that are antecedent to consumer SNII and 2) the endogenous part of the model in which consumer SNII affects LUX through the mediating role of BCO.Research limitations/implications– The findings in the current study are limited to a sample of college students in the UK and Taiwan, which, through representing western and Asian countries, each housing different cultures, do not span the greater number of cultures found across these countries, much less across the world. Furthermore it is assumed that there are a number of subcultures in both the UK and Taiwan that are not accounted for in this study.Practical implications– An individual level of cultural orientation (e.g. horizontalism and verticalism) rather than traditionally adopted regionally defined or nationally based (Hofstede, 1980) cultural criteria should be investigated to identify more accurate market demand patterns in order to best target consumers in these markets (Sharma, 2010). In addition, appealing, vertical ad messages would be more effective in stimulating consumer motivations for consumption of luxury brands. Conversely, horizontal ad messages would be effective in demarketing approaches.Originality/value– The current study is the first of its kind to explore the effect of cultural-orientation on the formation of LUX cross-nationally. As such it provides future cross-cultural researchers with valid and reliable culturally based constructs that can be used to predict consumer SNII in developing LUX. In addition, establishing the mediating role of BCO in the relationship between SNII and LUX helps marketers better understand the equity of their luxury brands, particularly in Asian countries.

Normative Influences on Product Placement Effects: Alcohol Brands in Television Series and the Influence of Presumed Influence

This research investigates how normative influences surrounding television (TV) series impact product placement effects. Drawing from the influence of presumed influence (IPI) model of communications research, the research assesses the impact of the presumed influence of TV series on others on young consumers’ desire to buy placed alcohol brands. Three experiments show that presumed influence can increase or decrease consumers’ intentions to purchase brands placed in TV series. Furthermore, this relationship is moderated by individual differences in susceptibility to normative interpersonal influence and, for individuals low in psychological trait reactance, by contextual effects that prime conformity.

Factors affecting Mexican college students' purchase intention toward a US apparel brand

PurposeThis paper on Mexican college students aims to examine the effects of general consumer variables (i.e. normative interpersonal influence and brand consciousness) and brand‐specific variables (i.e. perceived quality and emotional value) on purchase intention toward a US apparel brand.Design/methodology/approachThe study is designed to determine the factors influencing Mexican college students' purchase intention toward a US apparel brand. Purchase intention is explained with several variables: normative interpersonal influence, brand consciousness, perceived quality, and emotional value. A total of 256 college students in Mexico participated in the survey.FindingsUsing structural equation modeling (SEM), the study finds that Mexican college students' normative interpersonal influence positively affected brand consciousness. Brand consciousness is positively related to emotional value, but not to perceived quality of a US brand. Emotional value positively influences purchase intention toward a US brand, while perceived quality negatively influences purchase intention.Practical implicationsThis study provides valuable strategic implications for US retailers who plan to enter the Mexican market. According to the findings of the study, US retailers could focus on the emotional aspects of US brands in order to appeal to Mexican college students, especially those who are brand conscious.Originality/valueGiven that the Mexican market provides growth opportunities for US apparel retailers, there has been a dearth of empirical research on Mexican college students' attitudes and perceptions toward US brands. In this regard, this paper is designed to determine the factors influencing Mexican college students' purchase of US apparel brands.

Status consumption and role-relaxed consumption: A tale of two retail consumers

Our study contrasts status-seeking consumers with role-relaxed consumers across personal, social influence, and market influence factors. The results of a survey of 598 consumers supported all but four of 15 hypotheses. The findings suggest that status-seeking consumers: (1) tend to conform to group norms, yet (2) maintain a need for uniqueness, (3) are susceptible to normative, but not necessarily informational interpersonal influence, (4) can be opinion leaders, but not necessarily opinion seekers, and (5) have tendencies that contrast sharply with role-relaxed consumer tendencies. In contrast, role-relaxed consumers: (1) do not generally conform to group norms, (2) are typically not susceptible to informational nor normative interpersonal influence, (3) do not pay attention to social comparison information, (4) are neither opinion leaders nor opinion seekers, and (5) have tendencies that contrast sharply with status consumer tendencies.

Why Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence Ought to Be Used to Segment Consumer Markets

Abstract Based on a long-standing tradition of research in the academic marketing literature on Anglo-American consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (see e.g., Park & Lessig 1977) we now know what the mean levels of susceptibility are to informational and normative interpersonal-influence in this population. However, unfortunately, in this same literature we know practically nothing about the mean levels of these two types of influence in the African-, Asian-, and Hispanic-American populations in the U.S. This issue is investigated in this paper by assessing the mean levels of these types of influence in comparable samples of African-, Chinese-, Hispanic-, and Anglo-Americans in the U.S. using the measure of Bearden, Netemeyer and Teel (1989). When we compared these four samples on the level of their susceptibility to informational and normative interpersonal-influence, we found the following. Chinese-Americans were far more susceptible and Hispanic-Americans far less susceptible to normative...