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Investigating the influence of age, social capital affinity, and flow on positive outcomes reported by e-commerce site users

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  • Toby Hopp
  • Valerie Barker

Abstract

This study investigated the role of social capital affinity (the sense of community and likeness felt for people online) and the experience of flow (concentrated engagement in/enjoyment of an activity) as antecedents to a variety of positive outcomes associated with the use of e-commerce sites. Also, based on socio-emotional selectivity theory, the current study assessed the influence of age on social capital affinity and flow. As a subset of data from a telephone sample of Internet users in the USA, 282 e-commerce users responded to questions about site satisfaction, perceived focused and incidental knowledge-gains, and affirmation, in addition to flow and social capital affinity. As predicted by socio-emotional selectivity theory, there was a negative relationship between age and social capital affinity and flow. Flow, for its part, mediated the effects of age and social capital affinity on perceived focused and incidental knowledge-gain, satisfaction and affirmation among participants reporting e-commerce use. Finally, the current results indicated that satisfaction and perceived incidental learning predicted participant affirmation for their chosen e-commerce site.

Suggested Citation

  • Toby Hopp & Valerie Barker, 2016. "Investigating the influence of age, social capital affinity, and flow on positive outcomes reported by e-commerce site users," Behaviour and Information Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(5), pages 380-393, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:tbitxx:v:35:y:2016:i:5:p:380-393
    DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2016.1166520
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