Impact of consumers' corporate social responsibility‐related activities in social media on brand attitude,electronic word‐of‐mouth intention,and purchase intention: A study of Chinese consumer behavior

This study examines how consumers' corporate social responsibility (CSR)‐related activities in social media affect their responses to brands. We defined consumers' CSR‐related activities in social media as the extent to which consumers use social media to engage in CSR communication by companies. An online survey was conducted to examine social media users in China, the largest consumer market in today's global economies. This study developed a theoretical model and empirically tested the relationships between consumers' CSR‐related activities in social media, identification with the brand, and three consumer behavior outcomes: electronic word‐of‐mouth (eWOM) intention, brand attitude, and purchase intention. The results suggested that consumers' CSR‐related activities in social media significantly impacted eWOM intention and purchase intention through enhancing identification with the brand and positive brand attitude. This study provides important insights on consumer behavior and CSR by investigating social media, an important and emerging marketing platform. Moreover, this study fills in the research gap about the association between consumers' CSR‐related activities in social media and their responses to brands. Theoretical and managerial implications for CSR strategies in social media are discussed.     

Is There an App for That? A Review of Popular Apps for Depression,Anxiety, and Well-Being

Smartphone apps for mental health (MH apps) and wellness reach millions of people and have the potential to reduce the public health burden of common mental health problems. Thousands of MH apps are currently available, but real-world consumers generally gravitate toward a very small number of them. Given their widespread use and the lack of empirical data on their effects, understanding the content within MH apps is an important public health priority. An overview of the content within these apps could be an important resource for users, clinicians, researchers, and experts in digital health. Here, we offer summaries of the content within highly popular MH apps. Our aim is not to provide comprehensive coverage of the MH app space. Rather, we sought to describe a small number of highly popular MH apps in three common categories: meditation and mindfulness, journaling and self-monitoring, and AI chatbots. We downloaded the two most popular apps in each of these categories (respectively: Calm, Headspace; Reflectly, Daylio; Replika, Wysa). These six apps accounted for 83% of monthly active users of MH apps. For each app, we summarize information in four domains: intervention content, features that may contribute to engagement, the app’s target audience, and differences between the app’s free version and its premium version. In the years ahead, rigorous evaluations of highly popular MH apps will be needed. Until then, we hope that this overview helps readers stay up-to-date on the content within some of the most widely used digital mental health interventions.     

State of the Field of Mental Health Apps

Mental health apps offer unique opportunities for self-management of mental health and well-being in mobile, cost-effective ways. There is an abundance of apps available to consumers, but selecting a useful one presents a challenge. Most available apps are not supported by empirical evidence and thus consumers have access to a range of untested apps, the benefits of which are not known or supported. While user ratings exist, and are likely to be considered by consumers when selecting an app, they do not actually yield information on app suitability. A possible alternative way for consumers to choose an app would be to use an app review platform. A number of attempts have been made to construct such a platform, and this paper introduces PsyberGuide, which offers a step towards providing objective and actionable information for publicly available mental health apps.     

Employee-sharing and consumers' brand attitudes during COVID-19: A CSR perspective

The rapid proliferation of COVID-19 has dealt a heavy blow to many companies. Under these circumstances, employee-sharing has become a valuable strategy to help enterprises resume work and production. Based on the event system theory, we explored the impact of employee-sharing event strength on consumers' brand attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic through a corporate social responsibility (CSR) lens. Also, we verified that employee-sharing event strength during the COVID-19 pandemic positively affected consumers' internal (ICSR) and external (ECSR) perceptions of enterprises, improving consumers' brand attitudes and validating the positive moderating effect of customer-company identification. Thus, this study provides theoretical insights and managerial implications for CSR.     

Cyber peers’ influence for adolescent consumer in decision‐making styles and online purchasing behavior

Nowadays, there is a boom in online purchasing, especially by adolescents. In fact, scholars and marketers alike have long noticed the emergence of adolescent consumers and their consumption behaviors. This research aims at exploring the effect of adolescent decision‐making styles on online purchasing behavior, with peer influence as a moderating variable. An online questionnaire survey was conducted on 2,419 adolescents and further verified by regression analysis and analysis of covariance. Adolescents with planned purchase behaviors can be considered as rational consumers, in that they do not care about fashion, or recreational, hedonistic shopping consciousness, but rather focus on brand, price value, and high quality. Indeed, adolescent purchase decision making can be strengthened by peer influence.     

Believing in change: The role of implicit theory on consumer's perception of the brand's corporate social responsibility message

With the sustainable consumption paradigms, corporate social responsibilities (CSR) across industries have been under scrutiny. However, little research exists on how brand's business model and consumers' characteristics are intertwined to influence CSR evaluation. Our study aims to examine how the brand type (e.g., fast vs. slow business model) influences the relationships among CSR-brand fit, authenticity, and skepticism, thus improving attitudes toward the brand. In addition, based on the implicit theory, how the consumer's incremental mindset (vs. entity) influences a brand's CSR evaluations are studied. Through two studies, our findings demonstrate consumers perceived a higher CSR-brand fit for the slow fashion/food brand than the fast fashion/food brand. A higher CSR-brand fit heightened the CSR authenticity and alleviated skepticism, which in turn resulted in positive brand evaluations. Importantly, incremental mindsets weakened the effect of brand type on CSR-brand fit. As one of the first studies to examine the relationship between consumers' implicit theory orientation and a brand's CSR message, our findings demonstrate that an incremental mindset is a powerful consumer characteristic in evaluating a brand's CSR activities that are less congruent with the brand's established business model.     

虚拟销售代理的拟人效应

网络购物中的虚拟销售代理(Virtual Sales Agent)是指通过口头或非口头形式与消费者互动和交流的具有拟人化特征的动态人物形象, 它可以为消费者提供商品和服务的信息以及必要的帮助。近年来, 大量研究证实了虚拟销售代理的拟人效应, 即当在网络购物环境中加入拟人化的销售代理时, 就会对购物者的在线购物过程感知体验和购物意向产生积极影响。相关理论从不同视角解释了虚拟销售代理拟人效应发生的原因。综述以往的实证研究发现, 虚拟销售代理拟人效应的发生受到虚拟销售代理特征、消费者因素以及商品因素等方面的影响; 社会临场感、个性化服务知觉、社会支持感、信任和风险感知是拟人效应发生的内在心理机制。未来研究应关注虚拟销售代理拟人效应的神经生理基础, 丰富拟人效应发生的影响因素, 加强对个性化定制虚拟销售代理的研究, 探讨虚拟销售代理的消极影响, 以及不利于虚拟销售代理使用的障碍性因素。     

Is it Too Soon to Meet? Examining Differences in Geosocial Networking App Use and Sexual Risk Behavior of Emerging Adults

Location-based geosocial networking smartphone applications (GSN apps) have become a popular way to meet romantic and casual sex partners. Although first used primarily by men who have sex with men (MSM), GSN apps are now commonly used in the population at large, particularly among emerging adults. Although, these apps may potentially contribute to increases in STI/HIV incidence, previous research linking GSN app use to sexual risk behavior has been mixed, with some suggesting app users report greater sexual risk behavior and others suggesting less. The present paper details findings of two studies with independent samples of emerging adults. The first, a pilot study, examined GSN app use among young MSM (n = 64) to identify possible within-group factors relating dating app use to sexual risk behavior. Results indicated that the time app users spent talking to each other through the app before meeting in person (time before meeting) was related to engagement in sexual risk behavior. Those who talked less before meeting in person engaged in more sexual risk behaviors than those who spent more time talking before meeting in person. The second study sought to expand upon this finding in a more representative sample of GSN app users (n = 129) and compared sexual risk behavior and impulsivity to non-users (n = 88). There were no differences in sexual risk behavior between GSN app users and non-users. However, when examining app users by time before meeting, those with a shorter time before meeting were more impulsive and more likely to report sexual risk behavior. These findings highlight the importance of understanding GSN app use in the spread of STIs/HIV among emerging adults.     

Anthropomorphizing brands: The role of attributed brand traits in interactive CSR communication and consumer online endorsements

Consumers tend to relate to brands in similar ways as they relate to individuals and groups. However, relatively little is known about the attribution of human traits to brands in online contexts. The current research focused on the role of attributed brand traits in interactive corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication and positive electronic word‐of‐mouth intentions. Results of an online survey (N = 174) revealed that higher levels of perceived interactivity were associated with stronger attributions of morality, sociability, and competence traits to brands. Yet only attributed brand morality was associated with consumers' willingness to endorse the brand and its CSR message on social networking sites. These findings underline the importance of brands' openness to dialogue regarding the promotion of CSR activities. Furthermore, these findings suggest that consumers are most likely to feel that brands can represent their identity when brand morality is considered to be high.     

Online shopping orientations of Latino millennial generational cohorts

Latino consumers in the United States reached a collective buying power of nearly $1.72 trillion in 2020 with over 22% between the ages of 18 and 37, and 80% of the population on the internet. Although Latino Millennials represent a significant consumer group in the United States, scarce literature has examined their online shopping orientations. Furthermore, despite having indications that Millennials are not a homogenous consumer group, and differ in their shopping preferences, studies fell short in examining the online shopping orientations of the Millennial subgroup. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the shopping orientations of Latino consumers by segmenting the Millennial generation into three groups: younger Millennial (18–23), middle Millennial (24–30), and older Millennial (31–37). The study administered a web-based questionnaire survey to a convenience sample of 378 participants. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted, and findings revealed that shopping orientations of Latino consumers differ significantly based on Millennial generational cohorts (MGCs) and ethnicity. Among Latino MGCs, younger Millennials were more brand-and fashion-conscious, impulsive, and confused by over choice. Furthermore, Latino Millennials were more brand conscious than Caucasian Millennials. Therefore, companies and marketers that target Latino Millennial consumers should create shopping experiences that meet the needs of the different generational cohorts.     

Consumer purchasing behaviour: an investigation of the UK mature women's clothing market

There is a lack of information on the shopping behaviour of the mature consumer. This generation is economically secure and has the disposable income to provide retailers with additional sales. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the ways in which female consumers aged over 45 purchase fashion clothing and to explore their shopping preferences. The methodology of the study was designed in two phases: the first consisted of an exploratory qualitative examination in which 15 consumers were interviewed using a semi‐structured format to elicit the main issues, and the second was a survey issued to 150 respondents. The findings confirm that retailers are more interested in targeting the fashionable young consumer and have a lack of understanding of the needs of the mature market. This is particularly significant when associated with the demographic changes forecast for the next decade when mature consumers will become increasingly important to the fashion industry. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

污染效应在消费者行为领域的表现及其心理机制

随着健康问题越来越受到消费者的重视, 学者们对污染效应的研究和兴趣也与日俱增, 特别是在消费者的感知和偏好方面。在消费者行为研究中, 污染效应是指消费者会降低对他人接触过产品的感知价值。本研究主要回顾了在消费行为中污染效应的定义和特性, 然后从接触因素、位置因素、产品因素和社会因素等方面来探讨污染效应的前因, 并进一步归纳了污染效应对消费者行为的消极影响和积极影响。最后, 探讨了污染效应的理论基础和边界条件。在此基础上, 对污染效应在消费者行为领域的未来研究方向进行了展望。     

The COVID-19 threat and luxury advertising

The purpose of this research is to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the luxury goods industry. The authors hypothesize that pandemic threats drive consumers toward luxury consumption to increase their perceptions of control. The article reports results of three experimental studies conducted in the United States. In Study 1, after participants read an article about COVID-19, they respond favorably to an advertisement for a luxury brand. The comparative control participants read an article about a tofu dish and respond less favorably to the luxury advertisement. Study 2 provides further evidence that perceived control acts as a mediator, while ruling out alternative explanations. Study 3 indicates that threat evokes luxury preferences only when advertisements for both luxury and nonluxury products use abstract messages, as opposed to concrete messages. The findings provide practical insights showing that the most effective advertising strategy for luxury brand managers is to use abstract rather than concrete messages for targeting consumers who feel highly threatened by COVID-19.     

Click it,and increase hedonic consumption ratio: How does online shopping improve the long-term subjective well-being of consumers?

In the past few decades, consumers across the globe have become heavily reliant on e-commerce to purchase almost everything, from essential goods to hedonic goods. The prevalence of online shopping has significantly improved the consumption process and, by meeting consumers' needs, likely affects their long-term subjective well-being (SWB). Using individual-level data from the 2018 China Family Panel Studies, this study shows that online shopping enhances the long-term SWB of consumers by increasing their proportion of hedonic consumption. Consumer income can moderate the effect of online shopping on the long-term SWB of consumers, such that high consumer income can weaken this effect. In addition, the effect of online shopping on long-term SWB is stronger for rural consumers than for urban consumers. The authors close with a discussion of the implications of this study's findings for academics and policy makers.     

Household pre‐purchase practices and online grocery shopping

This paper explores household pre‐purchase practices and their mediation by information and communications technologies (ICTs), specifically online grocery shopping. Drawing on practice theory, the impacts of ICTs on household grocery shopping behavior are conceptualized, and the concept of “front‐loading” is introduced. Emerging themes generated from 31 semi‐structured interviews conducted via Skype with Turkish consumers focusing on their experiences of online grocery practices are presented. To this end, the contribution of this paper is twofold. First, an understanding of the domestication of online grocery shopping and its affect on the dynamics of household decision making, information sharing, and responsibilities of tasks before the actual act of online shopping is developed. Second, how such pre‐purchase practices undertaken by consumers act as a catalyst of change at the industry level is appraised. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

调节定向视角下在线评论感知有用性的眼动研究

本研究采用2评论类型(属性型VS体验型)×2调节定向(促进VS预防)的眼动实验,深入探讨消费者对在线评论的加工过程和感知有用性的认知机理。研究发现：(1)与属性型评论相比,个体对体验型评论的认知过程更短,感知有用性却更高。(2)相对于预防定向个体而言,促进定向个体对在线评论的认知加工过程更短,感知有用性更高。(3)评论类型和调节定向的交互效用,在属性型评论情境中显著,但在体验型评论情境中不显著。研究结果揭示了评论类型和调节定向影响消费者对在线评论认知评估的作用机理。     

From self-reliers to expert-dependents: identifying classes based on health-related need for autonomy and need for external control among mobile users

ABSTRACT

Mobile health apps are seen as promising tools to support autonomous consumers in their quest for better health. However, individual differences in the need for autonomy and need for external control may impact the degree to which individuals perceive mobile health apps to be useful in their daily life. Using data from a representative sample of the Dutch population (N = 1,027), we applied latent class analysis to identify subtypes among mobile users based on their need for autonomy and need for external control, and to examine differences among these subtypes. We identified four subgroups: the self-reliers, confirmation-seekers, expert-dependents, and indifferents. Next to demographic differences, self-reliers and confirmation-seekers were generally more e-health literate and expressed more privacy concerns than the expert-dependents and indifferents. Our findings demonstrate that subgroups of people express different degrees of health-related need for autonomy and need for external control, which should be taken into account in online and mobile health communication efforts.     

在线评论数量和质量对网络购物意愿的影响:认知需要的调节作用

为探讨在线评论数量和质量以及认知需要对个体网络购物意愿的影响及其作用机制。以320名有网购经历的在校大学生为被试,采用2(在线评论质量:高vs.低)×2(在线评论数量:多vs.少)×2(认知需要水平:高vs.低)的实验设计。结果发现:(1)在线评论质量和数量对网络购物意愿都有着积极影响;(2)在线评论质量和数量对网络购物意愿的影响会受到认知需要的调节,即在线评论数量和质量对不同认知需要水平个体的影响不同:低认知需要个体会受到在线评论数量的影响,而高认知需要的个体则会受到在线评论质量的影响。研究结果深化了在线评论对网络购物购买决策影响的研究。     

Les objets connectés et applications de santé : étude exploratoire des perceptions,usages (ou non) et contextes d’usage

In a contemporary context of major health challenges, the market of digital technologies has increasingly developed in past years. This article aims to explore main profiles of use in relation to connected objects and health apps, as well as attitudes related to uses, non-uses and contexts of use. Therefore, our objective is to contribute to the scientific debate by proposing an empirical study in psychology that focusses on the perspectives of consumers and non-consumers of these technologies in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. To do this, a survey was conducted among participants of a large public health exhibition (n = 760). According to our results, the majority of respondents declare not having a connected object/health app and a third of non-users does not intend to acquire such technologies. Also, there is a trend among younger generations to have a connected object/health app. Concerning the contexts of use, such technologies are employed to self-track physical activity and eating practices. The degree of satisfaction of such use is rather high. Given these results, our analyses point out a divide within our sample, between individuals who seem resistant and declare not willing to have this kind of technology and those who use it in the long run. These results cast new light upon concrete uses and contexts of use among consumers and non-consumers of connected objects/health apps beyond techno-scientific promises that prevail today in our societies.