The Role of Network Centrality in the Flow of Consumer Influence

Journal of Consumer Psychology, 20 (2010) 66–77

Posted: 21 Jan 2016

See all articles by Seeing Hwan Lee

Seeing Hwan Lee

Ryerson University

June Cotte

University of Western Ontario - Richard Ivey School of Business

Theodore Noseworthy

York University - Schulich School of Business

Date Written: January 19, 2010

Abstract

The authors find that a consumer's position in a social network is related to both opinion leadership and susceptibility to influence. Using two field network studies, the authors show that people see themselves as opinion leaders when they perceive that they are popular (i.e., central) in the network. However, these self-assessments are sometimes at odds with the perceptions of the rest of the network. Counter-intuitively, the authors demonstrate that consumers who are central in networks are quite susceptible to others' influences. The findings extend the field's knowledge by demonstrating how network centrality is associated with consumer influence.

Keywords: networks, consumer influence, centrality

Suggested Citation

Lee, Seeing Hwan and Cotte, June and Noseworthy, Theodore, The Role of Network Centrality in the Flow of Consumer Influence (January 19, 2010). Journal of Consumer Psychology, 20 (2010) 66–77 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2718320

Seeing Hwan Lee (Contact Author)

Ryerson University ( email )

Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto
Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3
Canada

June Cotte

University of Western Ontario - Richard Ivey School of Business ( email )

1255 Western Road
London, Ontario N6G 0N1
Canada

Theodore Noseworthy

York University - Schulich School of Business ( email )

4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
Canada

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