Psychological elements explaining the consumer's adoption and use of a website recommendation system: A theoretical framework proposal

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand, with an emphasis on the psychological perspective of the research problem, the consumer's adoption and use of a certain web site recommendation system as well as the main psychological outcomes involved.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach takes the form of theoretical modelling.

Findings

A conceptual model is proposed and discussed. A total of 20 research propositions are theoretically analyzed and justified.

Research limitations/implications

The theoretical discussion developed here is not empirically validated. This represents an opportunity for future research.

Practical implications

The ideas extracted from the discussion of the conceptual model should be a help for recommendation systems designers and web site managers, so that they may be more aware, when working with such systems, of the psychological process consumers undergo when interacting with them. In this regard, numerous practical reflections and suggestions are presented.

Originality/value

The paper is based on and adapts classical theories of consumer behaviour, integrating them into particular theories developed within the framework of computer‐mediated environments.

Citation

Martínez‐López, F.J., Rodríguez‐Ardura, I., Carlos Gázquez‐Abad, J., Sánchez‐Franco, M.J. and Cabal, C.C. (2010), "Psychological elements explaining the consumer's adoption and use of a website recommendation system: A theoretical framework proposal", Internet Research, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 316-341. https://doi.org/10.1108/10662241011050731