The Buzz behind "the Buzz" Matters: Energetic and Tense Arousal as Separate Predictors for Word of Mouth

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Date

2017-03

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Abstract

Consumer research on what motivates people to engage in word of mouth (WOM) is one of the fastest growing areas of focus because of WOM’s remarkable impact on a company’s success (Berger, 2014). In the present research, we examine a fundamental antecedent to WOM: the physiological arousal elicited by the consumer purchase/experience. Although previous research has also examined this relationship, it has failed to make the critical distinction between two types of arousal, energetic and tense. Across four studies, this research provides evidence of the discriminant predictive value of these arousals as well as the separate motivations that each one elicits. That is, this research provides convergent evidence that the amount of energetic (tense) arousal elicited by a positive (negative) consumer experience predicts the a consumer’s willingness to engage in positive (negative) word of mouth, a behavior that is motivated to increase (decrease) one’s extant energetic (tense) arousal.

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Business: 1st Place (The Ohio State University Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum)

Keywords

word of mouth, arousal, energetic, tense

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