Gossiping Behavior on Social Networking Sites: Does Gender Matter?

Abstract

This study examines how gender affects online gossip on social networking sites. Based on gender theories and agency-communion theory, it is posited that achievement value, friendship value, and normative pressure differ according to gender (female vs. male), the level of propensity to gossip (high vs. low), and the interaction between the two. An experimental survey is conducted with 809 general consumers. Between-subjects multivariate analysis of covariance reveals that gender has an impact only on friendship value, whereas propensity to gossip affects achievement value and normative pressure. No interaction effects are observed. However, a subsequent analysis of covariance finds an interaction between gender and propensity to gossip through electronic word-of-mouth for a high-involvement product. In closing, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed while important limitations are recognized.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shintaro Okazaki

Shintaro Okazaki is Associate Professor of Marketing at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain. His work has appeared in leading marketing and advertising journals. He serves on the editorial review boards of International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research, and Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, among others. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Advertising.

Natalia Rubio

Natalia Rubio is Associate Professor of Marketing at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain. Her research interests focus on brand management and retailing. She has been published in leading academic journals, such as International Journal of Market Research; Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing; Food Quality and Preference; British Food Journal; and Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, among others.

Sara Campo

Sara Campo is Associate Professor of Marketing at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain. Her research interests lie in tourism marketing and service marketing. She has been published in leading academic journals, such as International Journal of Market Research; Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking; Journal of Electronic Commerce Research; Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing; and Tourism Management, among others.