Influence of Friends' Social Interaction on Their Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Identification and Internalization and the Moderating Role of Gender

Abstract

Abstract:

The mechanism of how friends' social interaction influences their purchase intention is an important prerequisite for effective social business activities. Based on the revised social influence theory, a theoretical model regarding the influence of social interaction on the purchase intention is constructed, and the mechanism of the influence of social interaction on purchase intention in friendship group context is systematically studied. Through a questionnaire survey of Wechat moments, this paper finds that identification and internalization play absolute mediating roles in the relationship between social interaction and purchase intention. And this paper verifies the moderating effect of gender, which shows that identification and internalization play a completely mediating role among women, in contrast, the internalization mechanism does not work among men. And gender also has a moderating effect in the relationship between the identification and internalization. Our findings can help social commerce platforms develop tailor-made interactive functions to promote commercial activities, and companies can also apply our findings to strengthen their marketing strategies.

Key words: friendship group, social commerce, social influence theory, purchase intention

Diao Yajing, He Youshi, Wang Nianxin, Wang Zhiying. Influence of Friends' Social Interaction on Their Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Identification and Internalization and the Moderating Role of Gender[J]. , 2019, 31(1): 136-146.

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