2008ING 1 Construction & Study of Consumer Behavior in a Virtual Social Space ABSTRACT The growth of YouTube.com, MySpace.com and SecondLife, are part of a trend that consumers seek to partake in communities with increasingly real virtual simulations of actual social environments. Within this context, consumption takes on social meaning and is mostly wrapped in the excuse of self-expression within these virtual social spaces. What constitutes marketing relevant behavior in these social spaces is a dominant issue for consumer behavior in the future, as this is where consumers will increasingly act out their lives.ʳBased on cultural composition of virtual communities, ethnographic-based approaches are warranted to better yield understanding of the meanings that are common to a particular community. Nevertheless, there is no existing theory that adopts this way to addresses the consumer behavior in a virtual space of real simulation. This research focuses on the creation of a live video virtual social space where users can freely enter and utilize the space, and application of grounded theory and NVIVO software to uncover marketing relevant behavior. As a result, thirty-four types of consumer behavior are constructed and divided into four categories: egocasting, non-verbal behavior, relational pattern, and participation behavior. Next, the technique of social network analysis and the UCINET software package help define groups of consumers and understand their behavioral differences within this virtual space, resulting in a bridge group and core group that exhibit high levels of various types of behaviors than the peripheral or isolated groups. Results are significant for consumer behavior theory development within the context of the emerging online virtual citizen. Keywords: virtual social space, consumer behavior, grounded theory, social network analysis, NVIVO software, UCINET software package ʳ ʳ ʳ ʳ
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2008ING
1
Construction & Study of Consumer Behavior in a
Virtual Social Space
ABSTRACT
The growth of YouTube.com, MySpace.com and SecondLife, are part of a trend that consumers seek to
partake in communities with increasingly real virtual simulations of actual social environments. Within this
context, consumption takes on social meaning and is mostly wrapped in the excuse of self-expression within
these virtual social spaces. What constitutes marketing relevant behavior in these social spaces is a dominant
issue for consumer behavior in the future, as this is where consumers will increasingly act out their lives.�Based
on cultural composition of virtual communities, ethnographic-based approaches are warranted to better yield
understanding of the meanings that are common to a particular community. Nevertheless, there is no existing
theory that adopts this way to addresses the consumer behavior in a virtual space of real simulation.
This research focuses on the creation of a live video virtual social space where users can freely enter and
utilize the space, and application of grounded theory and NVIVO software to uncover marketing relevant
behavior. As a result, thirty-four types of consumer behavior are constructed and divided into four categories:
egocasting, non-verbal behavior, relational pattern, and participation behavior. Next, the technique of social
network analysis and the UCINET software package help define groups of consumers and understand their
behavioral differences within this virtual space, resulting in a bridge group and core group that exhibit high
levels of various types of behaviors than the peripheral or isolated groups. Results are significant for consumer
behavior theory development within the context of the emerging online virtual citizen.
Keywords: virtual social space, consumer behavior, grounded theory, social network analysis, NVIVO
software, UCINET software package
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2008ING
1
Construction & Study of Consumer Behavior in a
Virtual Social Space
І. Research Background With the popularity of the Internet use, numerous types of virtual social spaces have emerged as popular
meeting venues online. Nowadays, the growth of YouTube.com, MySpace.com and Second Life, reveal a trend
that people seek to partake in communities with increasingly real virtual simulations of actual social
environments, and feel comfortable showing themselves and sharing their lives online. These virtual social
spaces are often heavily immersed in consumption (Flanagin & Metzger, 2001; Kozinets, 1999), and products
take on social meaning within this context (Solomon, 1983). Some scholars notice that consumers express a
dislike of all things commercial and tend to wrap consumption in the excuse of self-expression (Kozinets, 2002;
Kozinets & Handleman, 2004).
The virtual meeting places are commonly referred to as �virtual communities� (Rheingold, 1993). Due to a
social nature, many researchers demonstrate the interpersonal influence of virtual communities from
perspectives of computer-mediated-communication, social network, small group, as well as social psychology.
These concerns also draw a lot of interests from both academic and commercial marketing researchers because
of potential consequential effects on consumer behavior existing within virtual communities have been long
recognized (Britt, 1950; Granitz & Ward, 1996; Kozinets, 1998; Levy, 1959; Muniz & O' Guinn, 2001). Such
an interest stems not only from their ability to influence members’ choices, and to rapidly disseminate
knowledge and perceptions regarding new products (e.g.,U. M. Dholakia, & Bagozzi, R. P. , 2001), but also
from the numerous opportunities to engage, collaborate with, and advance customer relationships actively in
such forums. While there is no existing theory addressing consumer behavior in a real virtual space.
Based on cultural composition of virtual communities, ethnographic-based approaches are warranted to
better yield understanding of the meanings that are common to a particular community (Kozinets, 1999), such
as participant observation within a predominantly inductivist framework (Gill & Johnson, 1997). Nevertheless,
marketing researchers have not begun to more fully explore the role of culture in buying behavior and apply
associated ethnographic research methods until the past two decades (Maclaren & Catterall, 2002).
From the above, the current research has three objects���irst of all, the creation of a live video virtual social
space where users can freely enter and take advantage of the space will be centered to understand the
willingness of consumers joining such a space. Secondly, through the use of the qualitative method of grounded
theory, this research will be able to uncover marketing related consumer behavior within a virtual social space.
Finally, social network analysis method will be applied to further understand the behavioral differences of
consumers in terms of the social structure.
�. Literature Review In order to explore fully consumer behavior within a virtual community, this chapter will focus on the four
facets: virtual community, marketing & virtual community, technology aspects of virtual community, and social
aspects of virtual community.
1. Virtual Community
Many definitions of virtual communities exist, while there is no single definition accepted. The term "
virtual community"(VC) was first cited as commonplace by Howard Rheingold (1993a), he has defined VC as
"social aggregations that emerge from the Net when enough people carry on those public discussions long
enough, with sufficient human feeling, to form webs of personal relationships in cyberspace." It is explicit from
the definition that the “technological” and “social” aspects are two pillars of VC. However, researchers suggest
not all conversations on the Internet constitute VC (Erickson, 1997; Fernback, 1999). Key attributes are
required to form it, such as: Erickson (1997) lists the following attributes that the term community suggests:1)
notion of membership; 2) relationships with other people; 3) Commitment and generalized reciprocity; 4)
Presence of shared values and practices; 5) production and distribution of collective goods; 6) existence for
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some duration; DeSouza and Preece (2004) also represent key components of an online community as: people
purposes, policies and software. In addition, there are many disputes over whether virtual communities are real
communities (Foster, 1997; Galston, 2000; Postman, 1993; Sardar, 1996; Snyder, 1996). Scholars point out that
the "virtual" might misleadingly imply that these communities are less "real" than physical communities (Jones,
1995), but their “real” existence for participation may have consequential effects on many aspects of behavior,
including consumer behavior (Kozinets, 1998).
2. Marketing &. Virtual Community
Marketing scholars have suggested the exchange model as a conceptual foundation for the discipline.
(Richard P. Bagozzi, 1975; Grönroos, 1999; Hirschman, 1987). While the �economic model� which assumes
that things are exchanged for their economic or utilitarian value had evolved in social exchange perspective,
which has been described marketing as the process of creating, resolving and maintaining exchange
relationships (Richard P. Bagozzi, 1974). While VC has been seen as a new social constructs created by the
Internet, and characterized by groups of people with common value systems, norms, rules and a sense of
identity and association (Fernback, 1999). This means that each VC is likely to have its own cultural
composition, a unique collective sense that members share (Maclaren & Catterall, 2002). The influence of
culture on consumer behavior has long been recognized by both academic and commercial marketing
researchers (Britt. 1950; Levy 1959). Nevertheless, marketing researchers have not begun to more fully explore
the role of culture in buying behavior and apply associated ethnographic research methods until the past two
decades (Maclaren & Catterall, 2002). Kozinet (1999) suggests that the nature of cultural composition warrants
“ethnographic-based approaches” to better yield understand- ing of the meanings that are common to a
particular community, such as participant observation within a predominantly inductivist framework (Gill &
Johnson, 1997). �Netnography�, or ethnography on the Internet, is suggested to be particularly useful for
revealing the rich symbolic online world that underlies needs, desires, meanings, and choice (see, eg., Levy
1959). Undoubtedly, such an approach can provide current research with a window into naturally occurring
behavior within a VC.
3. Technological Aspect of Virtual Community
The development of new electronic technology lets numerous types of virtual communities bloom and has
been affecting the way participants interact. Haythornthwaite, Wellman et al. (1998) notice six types of VC,
including text-based email, bulletin boards and newsgroups, text-based synchronous chat (IRC chat lines) and
role-playing games (e.g., MUDs, MUSHs and MOOs), voice-based teleconferencing and voice-mail systems,
desktop video -conferencing and video mail, and hypertext and multimedia systems. Catterall and Maclaran
(2001) also present seven types as email lists, Website bulletin boards, Usenet Newsgroups, Real-time
online-chat systems, Web-based chat rooms, multiplayer virtual games, Multi-user domains (MUDs). With the
advancement of technology, the types of virtual communities revolutionized from asynchronous, time-delayed
communication to synchronous, real-time communication.
4. Social Aspect of Virtual Community
(1) Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC)
When the primary interaction is electronic or enabled by technology, the community is virtual. This type of
communication is called CMC. When it comes to the implication of CMC in the context of interpersonal
interaction, there are different perspectives among researchers, including cues filtered out theory, social
identity/ deindividuation theory, social information processing theory, and hyper-social interaction theory. From
these viewpoints, it is apparent that the positive implication of CMC to interpersonal relations online is
increasingly noticed by researchers. Meanwhile, there are still much evidences demonstrating the arising effects
of CMC on online relations in past literature, such as Schlosser (2002) found consumers in the CMC were more
likely to convey their pre-discussion attitudes, and exhibited less choice shifts and acceptance of the groups first
attitude than those in the face to face environment.
(2) Social Network and Small Group
Virtual communities can be studied as either small groups or social networks (Wellman, 1997). Social
network theory suggests that Internet social communication supplements and extends traditional social
behaviors. The more individuals in organizations are connected, communicate face-to-face, and the more
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intimate their relationships, the more frequently and intimately they use email and a variety of media to
communicate (Haythornthwaite, Wellman, & Garton, 1998). Specifically, specific interaction in social
networks has significant social influence on specific attitudes and behaviors (Rice, 1993). One the other hand,
much concerns of small group reveal group influences on attitudes and behavior (Merton & Rossi, 1949).
Findings suggest that individuals behave in a similar fashion to the groups in which they belong. Obviously, no
matter the perspective of social network or small group indicates the significant role of social influence within
virtual communities. Especially, group membership has long since been recognized as a factor that influences
consumption.
(3) Causes of Social Interaction
What draws participants to virtual communities, what they are used for, and how they influence the
subsequent knowledge, opinion, and behavior of participants have been concerned in previous literature. What
underlies theses investigations is a common theme that explores the nature and role of the social influence
exerted by the community on its members (Alon, Brunel, & Schneier Siegal, 2003). While the social influence
does not constitute all causes of social interaction within virtual communities, the antecedents of social
influence should be considered as well (Dholakia, Bagozzi, & Pearo, 2004). The causes of social interaction in
terms of individual-level and group-level have been postulated to influence the participation behavior in virtual
communities separately (Richard P. Bagozzi, 2000), including the causes shown in Table 1.
Table 1 Conceptual Framework for Causes of Social Interaction in VC
Level of Influence Determinants Scholars
Individual Level Cognitive needs
Affective needs
Personal integrative needs
Social integrative needs
Tension release needs
Katz, Haas et al. (1973); Stafford, Stafford et al. (2004);
(Sunanda, 2005).
Group Level
Internalization
Social identity
Presentation of public self
Social anxiety
Sociability
Loneliness
Postmes, Haslam et al. (2005); Walrond-Skinner (1986).
Tajfel,H. and Turner, J. (1979); Festinger (1954).