The impact of self-construal on consumers’ intention to write reviews: A trait activation perspective

Abstract

Identifying which consumers are more likely to write reviews and when they are more likely to do so is of paramount importance for marketing management. Applying trait activation theory, this research explores how brand strength and consumption experience affect the intention of consumers with varying self-construals to write reviews. The findings suggest that, in general, consumers with an independent self-construal are less inclined to write reviews compared to those with an interdependent self-construal generally. However, for weak brands, consumers with an interdependent self-construal are less inclined to write reviews compared to those with an independent self-construal, irrespective of whether they have a positive or negative experience. When dealing with strong brands, consumers with an independent self-construal are more likely to generate reviews following a negative experience rather than a positive one. These findings improve our understanding of consumers’ review-writing behavior and offer insights for practitioners to enhance consumer review management.