Now or Later: Synchrony Effects on Electronic Word-of-Mouth Content

Sogut, Cansu, Frédéric Brunel, and Barbara Bickart (2015) “Now or Later: Synchrony Effects on Electronic Word-of-Mouth Content” in Consumer Psychology in a Social Media World, Eds. Claudiu Dimofte, Curtis Haugtvedt, and Richard Yalch, Routledge Publishers: London and New York.

Boston U. School of Management Research Paper No. 2549227

29 Pages Posted: 14 Jan 2015 Last revised: 2 Jun 2016

See all articles by Cansu Sogut

Cansu Sogut

Boston University, Questrom School of Business

Frederic F. Brunel

Boston University

Barbara A. Bickart

Boston University, Questrom School of Business

Date Written: December 5, 2014

Abstract

This research investigates how consumers’ electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) about consumption experiences is affected by whether the message is shared simultaneously during the experience or retrospectively, that is, after the experience has occurred. Building on the theories of synchrony, we suggest that two separates paths may impact the content of eWOM: (i) synchrony with social others and (ii) synchrony with the experience. In two field studies of tweets posted during televised events, our findings suggest that relative to retrospective messages, simultaneously shared messages are more likely to be associated with communal orientation, presumably due to an augmented feeling of synchrony with social others, even though these social others are not directly taking part in the consumption experience. In addition, we find that simultaneously shared messages have more affective content than those posted retrospectively, presumably due to synchrony with the experience. Based on these findings, we suggest that encouraging eWOM sharing during experiences can lead to an enhanced sense of community and engagement around the experience.

Keywords: consumer behavior, electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), synchrony, affect, emotion, community, Twitter, social media

Suggested Citation

Sogut, Cansu and Brunel, Frederic F. and Bickart, Barbara A., Now or Later: Synchrony Effects on Electronic Word-of-Mouth Content (December 5, 2014). Sogut, Cansu, Frédéric Brunel, and Barbara Bickart (2015) “Now or Later: Synchrony Effects on Electronic Word-of-Mouth Content” in Consumer Psychology in a Social Media World, Eds. Claudiu Dimofte, Curtis Haugtvedt, and Richard Yalch, Routledge Publishers: London and New York., Boston U. School of Management Research Paper No. 2549227, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2549227

Cansu Sogut (Contact Author)

Boston University, Questrom School of Business ( email )

595 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA MA 02215
United States

HOME PAGE: http://smgapps.bu.edu/mgmt_new/ProfilesPHD/SogutCansu.html

Frederic F. Brunel

Boston University ( email )

595 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
United States
617 353 4609 (Phone)
617 353 4098 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://smgnet.bu.edu/mgmt_new/profiles/BrunelFrederic.html

Barbara A. Bickart

Boston University, Questrom School of Business ( email )

United States
617-353-3458 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://smgnet.bu.edu/mgmt_new/profiles/BickartBarbara.html

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