网络关系与口碑“爆点”识别——基于社会影响理论的实证研究

Network Ties and Online Word-of-Mouth Explosive Point:An Empirical Study Based on Social Impact Theory

本文从社会影响理论角度分析,认为消费者在社交网络中建立的网络关系是一种典型的社会存在,会激发消费者的自我展示动机,从而发起更多、更负面的在线口碑,成为口碑"爆点"。通过对美国购物点评网站Epinion.com的实证研究发现:(1)当消费者拥有更多网络关系时会触发更强的自我展示动机,从而发起更多在线口碑。(2)负面口碑会被感知为更客观、更有见地,因此更强的印象管理动机会导致"爆点"的口碑效价更低。(3)"爆点"的口碑发起行为受到其朋友圈的形成时间(时间距离——从关系建立的时间点到当前时间点的时间长度)、朋友的影响力(特征向量中心性——粉丝节点的度中心性)的调节作用,朋友圈形成时间越短影响力越大,则其关系对口碑数量和口碑效价产生的影响更强。

In the era of mobile Internet,the positive word of mouth diffusion of enterprises is able to help enterprises establish a good image.On the contrary,the negative word of mouth will demonize enterprises’image and ultimately affect their management and development.Compared with positive word of mouth,the negative one spreads faster and has a much greater impact.The word of mouth diffusion can be divided into two stages:generation and transmission.According to previous studies concerning word of mouth diffusion,nearly all of them focused on those susceptible populations as well as the seed selection strategy of positive word of mouth transmission.However,very few studies are on the identification of those explosive populations who will generate negative word of mouth.Online word of mouth is an important channel for consumers to achieve goals of self presentation and express themselves.Based on social impact theory,this paper finds that network ties are a manifestation of virtual social presence.Under its influence,the self presentation motivations of customers will be activated.Then,more negative online word of mouth will be launched by customers,ultimately forming word of mouth'explosive point'.After conducting an empirical study on the US shopping review website--Epinion.com,we found that:(1)When consumers have more network relationships,stronger self presentation opportunities will be triggered,which will in turn prompt them to generate more(volume)online word of mouth.(2)Negative word of mouth will be perceived as more objective and insightful.As a result,stronger impression management motivation will lead to the generation of lower(valence)word of mouth.(3)The generation of word of mouth explosive point will be subjected to the forming time of moments(time distance from the time point in which the relationship has been established)as well as the inf luence of moments(Eigenvectors centrality the degree centrality of friends).All in all,the shorter formation time of moments and its greater influence will have much greater impact on the volume as well as the valence of word of mouth.