TY - JOUR
T1 - Examining the moderating role of sense of membership in online review evaluations
AU - Luo, Chuan
AU - Luo, Xin (Robert)
AU - Xu, Yun
AU - Warkentin, Merrill
AU - Sia, Choon Ling
PY - 2015/4
Y1 - 2015/4
N2 - This paper explores how electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) readers' sense of membership moderates the effects of eWOM antecedent factors on their perceptions of review credibility. To test our hypotheses, we collected 308 samples from two virtual eWOM forums that are famous in China. The results showed that eWOM readers' sense of membership positively moderated argument strength, review sidedness and review rating's effects on review credibility; it also had a negative moderating effect on the relationship between review objectivity and review credibility. Based upon these findings, we discussed the theoretical contributions and practical implications of this study.
AB - This paper explores how electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) readers' sense of membership moderates the effects of eWOM antecedent factors on their perceptions of review credibility. To test our hypotheses, we collected 308 samples from two virtual eWOM forums that are famous in China. The results showed that eWOM readers' sense of membership positively moderated argument strength, review sidedness and review rating's effects on review credibility; it also had a negative moderating effect on the relationship between review objectivity and review credibility. Based upon these findings, we discussed the theoretical contributions and practical implications of this study.
KW - Electronic word-of-mouth
KW - Review credibility
KW - Sense of membership
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84924404148&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84924404148&origin=recordpage
U2 - 10.1016/j.im.2014.12.008
DO - 10.1016/j.im.2014.12.008
M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal
SN - 0378-7206
VL - 52
SP - 305
EP - 316
JO - Information & Management
JF - Information & Management
IS - 3
ER -