Driving individuals’ citizenship behaviors in virtual communities through attachment

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the complex relationships between common bond attachment, common identity attachment, self-esteem and virtual community citizenship behavior (VCCB). This study identifies two broad categories of VCCB: citizenship behaviors directed toward benefitting other individuals (VCCBI) and citizenship behaviors directed toward benefitting the virtual community (VCCBC).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors apply partial least squares structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses, using a sample of 388 valid responses.

Findings

The results indicate that common bond attachment and common identity attachment have a significant effect on self-esteem, which, in turn, has a significant effect on VCCBI and VCCBC. The results also indicate that common bond attachment has a significant effect on VCCBI, and that common identity attachment has a significant effect on VCCBC.

Originality/value

This study contributes to a better understanding of VCCBs through common identity and common-bond theory, social identity theory and the stimulus-organism-response framework.

Citation

Chiu, C.-M., Huang, H.-Y., Cheng, H.-L. and Hsu, J.S.-C. (2019), "Driving individuals’ citizenship behaviors in virtual communities through attachment", Internet Research, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 870-899. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-07-2017-0284