Predicting Young American and Chinese Consumers’ Mobile Viral Attitudes, Intents, and Behavior

ABSTRACT

Two surveys of college students were conducted in the U.S. and China in 2010 to compare young American and Chinese consumers’ mobile viral attitudes, intents, and behavior. The study integrated the theory of planned behavior, Technology Acceptance Model, and Palka and colleagues’ (2009) model. Structural model testing results confirmed the chain of viral attitude to intent to actual behavior. Subjective norm, behavioral control, perceived pleasure, and cost predicted young American consumers’ viral attitudes while subjective norm and perceived pleasure predicted Chinese viral attitudes. Young American and Chinese consumers’ viral attitudes and perceived utility predicted their intent to forward entertaining messages while their attitudes, perceived utilities, and mavenism predicted their intent to forward useful messages. In both countries, consumers’ viral intents and attitudes predicted their mobile viral behavior. The implications for academic research and industry practice are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Mobile viral marketing
• theory of planned behavior
• Technology Acceptance Model
• market mavenism
• American and Chinese consumers