Social-cultural-psychological perspectives on future word-of-mouth research

What causes people to create and share WOM (word of mouth)? Many of the previous studies have tried to find answers from message sources (i.e. friends acquaintances or others), communication channel (media mix and social media), and message traits (i.e. credibility, correctness, and referability), to name a few. In particular, previous studies on WOM in marketing context derive much of its thrust from social communication among people who have previously experienced noteworthy events or activities. Previous researchers have also recognized the critical role of WOM in consumers’ purchase decision or product choices. However, the past literature is relatively scant in areas of individual consumer’s sociocultural and psychological conditions that dictate how consumers collect, create, and disseminate information through WOM. Thus, in this review article, we introduce some of the major findings on four areas: prior experiences, social network, cultural influence, and social capital, and provide some critical insights on future research directions. Finally, this essay provides insights for future research based on recent theoretical developments centering on consumers’ motives as principal drivers of WOM.