Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Re-conceptualizing cognitive and affective customer–company identification: the role of self-motives and different customer-based outcomes

  • Original Empirical Research
  • Published:
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article offers a new perspective on customer–company identification (CCI) by focusing on CCI’s underlying self-motives: self-uncertainty and self-enhancement. More precisely, an operationalization is proposed in which cognitive (CCICog) and affective (CCIAff) dimensions of CCI are driven by different self-motives: CCICog by self-uncertainty and CCIAff by self-enhancement. Focusing on these self-motives reveals that CCICog and CCIAff affect some customer attitudes and behaviors in opposite ways but affect other attitudes and behaviors similarly. A cross-sectional survey that examines outcomes of CCICog and CCIAff supports the proposed conceptualization of CCI and suggests the dimensions differ in how each impacts customer–company relationships. Furthermore, the study suggests that combining the dimensions together in higher order constructs or examining only one dimension can lead to misleading conclusions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. This stands in contrast to related constructs such as self–image congruity and brand–self connection. For a review of the theoretical differences between CCI and other constructs, see Brown et al. (2005).

  2. We conducted two tests to ensure the discriminant validity of CCICog and CCIAff. The first, the fix-and-free test, is passed because a chi-square difference test, comparing when the variance between CCICog and CCIAff is set to unitary as to when it is not, is significant (∆χ 2 = 14.73, ∆df = 1). The second and more conservative test, the Fornell and Larcker (1981) test, is passed because the AVE of CCICog and CCIAff (.79) is much higher than their shared variance (.27). Thus, both tests provide evidence for the discriminant validity of CCICog and CCIAff from each other.

  3. Two pieces of evidence counter the consideration that multicollinearity is a cause of the observed effects. First, the variance inflation factor for the two dimensions is small across the dependent variables (max VIF = 1.52). Second, we tested the hypotheses using ridge regression to control for multicollinearity. Using a ridge parameter of .105 to reduce the VIF to 1 for each variable maintained the significance of the hypotheses as in the original analysis.

  4. We used an orthogonalizing approach for modeling the interactions in PLS as this approach is superior to other methods (Henseler and Chin 2010). The interaction term was significant for only three of the eight dependent variables. These are NWOM (β = −.10, p < .05), PWOM (β = −.11, p < .05), and willingness to purchase a gift (β = −.09, p < .05). The direction of these interactions suggest CCIAff has an attenuating effect on CCICog such that as CCIAff increases, it weakens the effect of CCICog on NWOM, PWOM, and willingness to purchase a gift.

References

  • Ahearne, M., Bhattacharya, C. B., & Gruen, T. (2005). Antecedents and consequences of customer-company identification: expanding the role of relationship marketing. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 574–585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alexandrov, A., Lilly, B., & Babakus, E. (2013). The effects of social- and self-motives on the intentions to share positive and negative word of mouth. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41, 531–546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Algesheimer, R., Dholakia, U. M., & Herrmann, A. (2005). The social influence of brand community: evidence from European car clubs. Journal of Marketing, 69, 19–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashforth, B. E., Harrison, S. H., & Corley, K. G. (2008). Identification in organizations: an examination of four fundamental questions. Journal of Management, 34, 325–374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aspara, J., Olkkonen, R., Tikkanen, H., Moisander, J., & Parvinen, P. (2008). A theory of affective self-affinity: Definitions and application to a company and its business. Academy of Marketing Science Review, 12.

  • Bagozzi, R., & Yi, Y. (2012). Specification, evaluation, and interpretation of structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40, 8–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bagozzi, R. P., Bergami, M., Marzocchi, G. L., & Morandin, G. (2012). Customer–organization relationships: development and test of a theory of extended identities. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97, 63–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bansal, S. (2012). Shopping for a better world. Retrieved July 8, 2014, from http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/shopping-for-a-better-world/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0.

  • Batra, R., Ahuvia, A., & Bagozzi, R. P. (2012). Brand love. Journal of Marketing, 76, 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergami, M., & Bagozzi, R. P. (2000). Self-categorization, affective commitment and group self-esteem as distinct aspects of social identity in the organization. British Journal of Social Psychology, 39, 555–577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya, C. B., & Sen, S. (2003). Consumer–company identification: a framework for understanding consumers’ relationships with companies. Journal of Marketing, 67, 76–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya, C., Korschun, D., & Sen, S. (2009). Strengthening stakeholder–company relationships through mutually beneficial corporate social responsibility initiatives. Journal of Business Ethics, 85, 257–272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brickson, S. L. (2012). Athletes, best friends, and social activists: an integrative model accounting for the role of identity in organizational identification. Organization Science.

  • Brown, T. J., Barry, T. E., Dacin, P. A., & Gunst, R. F. (2005). Spreading the word: investigating antecedents of consumers’ positive word-of-mouth intentions and behaviors in a retailing context. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 33, 123–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buhrmester, M., Kwang, T., & Gosling, S. D. (2011). Amazon’s mechanical Turk: a new source of inexpensive, yet high-quality, data? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 3–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cardador, M., & Pratt, M. (2006). Identification management and its bases: bridging management and marketing perspectives through a focus on affiliation dimensions. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 34, 174–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, D., & Thatcher, S. M. B. (2010). Identification in organizations: the role of self-concept orientations and identification motives. Academy of Management Review, 35, 516–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Currás-Pérez, R. (2009). Effects of perceived identity based on corporate social responsibility: the role of consumer identification with the company. Corporate Reputation Review, 12, 177–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Currás-Pérez, R., Bigné-Alcañiz, E., & Alvarado-Herrera, A. (2009). The role of self-definitional principles in consumer identification with a socially responsible company. Journal of Business Ethics, 89, 547–564.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dutton, J. E., Roberts, L. M., & Bednar, J. (2010). Pathways for positive identity construction at work: four types of positive identity and the building of social resources. Academy of Management Review, 35, 265–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, J. R. (2011). The fallacy of formative measurement. Organizational Research Methods, 14, 370–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Einwiller, S., Fedorikhin, A., Johnson, A., & Kamins, M. (2006). Enough is enough! When identification no longer prevents negative corporate associations. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 34, 185–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elsbach, K. D., & Kramer, R. M. (1996). Members’ responses to organizational identity threats: encountering and countering the business week rankings. Administrative Science Quarterly, 41, 442–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Escalas, J. E., & Bettman, J. R. (2003). You are what they eat: the influence of reference groups on consumers’ connections to brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 13, 339–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiol, C. M., & O’Connor, E. J. (2005). Identification in face-to-face, hybrid, and pure virtual teams: untangling the contradictions. Organization Science, 16, 19–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fombelle, P., Jarvis, C., Ward, J., & Ostrom, L. (2012). Leveraging customers’ multiple identities: identity synergy as a driver of organizational identification. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40, 587–604.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18, 39–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Germine, L., Nakayama, K., Duchaine, B., Chabris, C., Chatterjee, G., & Wilmer, J. (2012). Is the web as good as the lab? Comparable performance from web and lab in cognitive/perceptual experiments. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 19, 847–857.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giebelhausen, M., Robinson, S. G., Sirianni, N. J., & Brady, M. K. (2014). Touch vs. tech: When technology functions as a barrier or a benefit to service encounters. Journal of Marketing.

  • Grant, F., & Hogg, M. A. (2011). Self-uncertainty, social identity prominence and group identification. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

  • Gustin, S. (2014). 4 reasons people are starting to panic about Apple. Retrieved September 15, 2014, from http://business.time.com/2014/01/28/apple-growth-fears/.

  • Hair, J. F., Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Mena, J. A. (2012). An assessment of the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling in marketing research. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40, 414–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han, X., Kwortnik, R. J., Jr., & Wang, C. (2008). Service loyalty: an integrative model and examination across service contexts. Journal of Service Research, 11, 22–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henseler, J., & Chin, W. W. (2010). A comparison of approaches for the analysis of interaction effects between latent variables using partial least squares path modeling. Structural Equation Modeling, 17, 82–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hermans, H. J. M., & Dimaggio, G. (2007). Self, identity, and globalization in times of uncertainty: a dialogical analysis. Review of General Psychology, 11, 31–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hightower, R., Brady, M. K., & Baker, T. L. (2002). Investigating the role of the physical environment in hedonic service consumption: an exploratory study of sporting events. Journal of Business Research, 55, 697–707.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogg, M. A. (2000). Subjective uncertainty reduction through self-categorization: a motivational theory of social identity processes. European Review of Social Psychology, 11, 223–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogg, M. A. (2007). Uncertainty–identity theory. In M. A. Hogg (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (pp. 69–126). New York: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogg, M. A., & Terry, D. J. (2000). Social identity and self-categorization processes in organizational contexts. The Academy of Management Review, 25, 121–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogg, M. A., Abrams, D., Otten, S., & Hinkle, S. (2004). The social identity perspective: intergroup relations, self-conception, and small groups. Small Group Research, 35, 246–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogg, M. A., Sherman, D. K., Dierselhuis, J., Maitner, A. T., & Moffitt, G. (2007). Uncertainty, entitativity, and group identification. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43, 135–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Homburg, C., Wieseke, J., & Hoyer, W. D. (2009). Social identity and the service profit chain. Journal of Marketing, 73, 38–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hornsey, M. J. (2008). Social identity theory and self-categorization theory: a historical review. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2, 204–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, L.-T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, M. D., Morgeson, F. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2012). Cognitive and affective identification: exploring the links between different forms of social identification and personality with work attitudes and behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33, 1142–1167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knippenberg, D. V., & Sleebos, E. (2006). Organizational identification versus organizational commitment: self-definition, social exchange, and job attitudes. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 27, 571–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lam, S. K. (2012). Identity-motivated marketing relationships: research synthesis, controversies, and research agenda. AMS Review, 2, 72–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lam, S. K., Ahearne, M., & Schillewaert, N. (2012). A multinational examination of the symbolic-instrumental framework of consumer-brand identification. Journal of International Business Studies, 43, 306–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lam, S., Ahearne, M., Mullins, R., Hayati, B., & Schillewaert, N. (2013). Exploring the dynamics of antecedents to consumer–brand identification with a new brand. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41, 234–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lane, V. R., & Scott, S. G. (2007). The neural network model of organizational identification. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 104, 175–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leary, M. R. (2007). Motivational and emotional aspects of the self. Annual Review of Psychology, 58, 317–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leigh, T. W., Peters, C., & Shelton, J. (2006). The consumer quest for authenticity: the multiplicity of meanings within the mg subculture of consumption. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 34, 481–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lücken, M., & Simon, B. (2005). Cognitive and affective experiences of minority and majority members: the role of group size, status, and power. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 41, 396–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mael, F., & Ashforth, B. E. (1992). Alumni and their alma mater: a partial test of the reformulated model of organizational identification. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 13, 103–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahapatra, L. (2013). Audience profiles: Who actually reads the new york times, watches fox news, and other news publications and channels? Retrieved July 8, 2014, from http://www.ibtimes.com/audience-profiles-who-actually-reads-new-york-times-watches-fox-news-other-news-publications-1451828.

  • Malar, L., Krohmer, H., Hoyer, W. D., & Nyffenegger, B. (2011). Emotional brand attachment and brand personality: the relative importance of the actual and ideal self. Journal of Marketing, 75, 35–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, K. R., & Johnson, C. S. (2011). When what you have is who you are: self-uncertainty leads individualists to see themselves in their possessions. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37, 639–651.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Netemeyer, R. G., Heilman, C. M., & Maxham Iii, J. G. (2012). Identification with the retail organization and customer-perceived employee similarity: effects on customer spending. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97, 1049–1058.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen. (2012). The global, socially conscious consumer. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2012/the-global-socially-conscious-consumer.html.

  • Obermiller, C., & Spangenberg, E. R. (1998). Development of a scale to measure consumer skepticism toward advertising. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 7, 159–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, C. W., Macinnis, D. J., Priester, J., Eisingerich, A. B., & Iacobucci, D. (2010). Brand attachment and brand attitude strength: conceptual and empirical differentiation of two critical brand equity drivers. Journal of Marketing, 74, 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Press, M., & Arnould, E. J. (2011). How does organizational identification form? A consumer behavior perspective. Journal of Consumer Research, 38, 650–666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, S. A., & Hogg, M. A. (2005). Uncertainty reduction, self-enhancement, and ingroup identification. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31, 804–817.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reilly, M. (2014). Why general mills bought Annie's, and who’s hopping mad about it. Retrieved October 10, 2014, from http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/morning_roundup/2014/09/why-general-mills-bought-annies-and-whos-hopping.html?page=all.

  • Ruth, J. A., Otnes, C. C., & Brunel, F. F. (1999). Gift receipt and the reformulation of interpersonal relationships. Journal of Consumer Research, 25, 385–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sirgy, M. J. (1982). Self-concept in consumer behavior: a critical review. Journal of Consumer Research, 9, 287–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swann, W. B., Griffin, J. J., Predmore, S. C., & Gaines, B. (1987). The cognitive-affective crossfire: when self-consistency confronts self-enhancement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 881–889.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney, J. C., & Soutar, G. N. (2001). Consumer perceived value: the development of a multiple item scale. Journal of Retailing, 77, 203–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tajfel, H. (1972). Social categorization (english translation of “la categorisation sociale”). In H. Tajfel (Ed.), Introduction a la psychologie sociale (pp. 272–302). Paris: Larousse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1063–1070.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weick, K. E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wieseke, J., Kraus, F., Ahearne, M., & Mikolon, S. (2012). Multiple identification foci and their countervailing effects on salespeople’s negative headquarters stereotypes. Journal of Marketing, 76, 1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Worstall, T. (2013). On the New York Times stupidity over Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Retrieved July 8, 2014, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/03/19/on-the-new-york-times-stupidity-over-amazons-mechanical-turk/.

  • Yi, Y., Gong, T., & Lee, H. (2013). The impact of other customers on customer citizenship behavior. Psychology and Marketing, 30, 341–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers and the Editor, G. Tomas M. Hult, for critical and helpful comments that greatly transformed the initial submission into a complete article. In addition, we owe a debt of gratitude to Simon Brach, Charles Hofacker, Herbert Rotfeld, and Jeffery Smith for their insightful comments on earlier versions of the paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, Department of Marketing, Auburn University, 405 W. Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    Jeremy S. Wolter

  2. The College of Business, Marketing Department, Florida State University, Rovetta Business Annex, Room 420, P.O. Box 3061110, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-1110, USA

    J. Joseph Cronin Jr.

Authors
  1. Jeremy S. Wolter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. Joseph Cronin Jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeremy S. Wolter.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wolter, J.S., Cronin, J.J. Re-conceptualizing cognitive and affective customer–company identification: the role of self-motives and different customer-based outcomes. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. 44, 397–413 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0421-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0421-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation