This research investigates whether a contextual factor – social density, defined as the number of people in a given area – influences consumers’ propensity to share information. We propose that high- (vs. low-) density settings make consumers experience a loss of perceived control, which, in turn, makes them more likely to engage in word-of-mouth in order to restore it. Six studies – conducted online as well as in laboratory and naturalistic settings – provide support for this hypothesis. We demonstrate that social density increases the likelihood of sharing information with others and that a person’s chronic need for control moderates this effect. Consistent with the proposed process, the effect of social density on information sharing is attenuated when participants have the opportunity to restore control before they engage in word-of-mouth. We also provide evidence that sharing information restores perceived control in high-density environments, and we disentangle the effect of social density from that of physical proximity.

The Effect of Social Density on Word-of-Mouth / Consiglio, Irene; De Angelis, Matteo; Costabile, Michele. - In: THE JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH. - ISSN 1537-5277. - 45:3(2018), pp. 511-528. [10.1093/jcr/ucy009]

The Effect of Social Density on Word-of-Mouth

De Angelis, Matteo
Conceptualization
;
Costabile, Michele
Membro del Collaboration Group
2018

Abstract

This research investigates whether a contextual factor – social density, defined as the number of people in a given area – influences consumers’ propensity to share information. We propose that high- (vs. low-) density settings make consumers experience a loss of perceived control, which, in turn, makes them more likely to engage in word-of-mouth in order to restore it. Six studies – conducted online as well as in laboratory and naturalistic settings – provide support for this hypothesis. We demonstrate that social density increases the likelihood of sharing information with others and that a person’s chronic need for control moderates this effect. Consistent with the proposed process, the effect of social density on information sharing is attenuated when participants have the opportunity to restore control before they engage in word-of-mouth. We also provide evidence that sharing information restores perceived control in high-density environments, and we disentangle the effect of social density from that of physical proximity.
2018
social density, control, word-of-mouth
The Effect of Social Density on Word-of-Mouth / Consiglio, Irene; De Angelis, Matteo; Costabile, Michele. - In: THE JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH. - ISSN 1537-5277. - 45:3(2018), pp. 511-528. [10.1093/jcr/ucy009]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11385/177542
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