Antecedents and outcomes of attachment towards smartphone applications

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how consumers' attachment towards mobile applications is influenced by the antecedent variables, self-connection and social-connection, and how the attachment influences the outcome variables, brand supportive behaviours, self-efficacy and ultimately life satisfaction. To formally examine the phenomenon of mobile consumption, we borrow theoretical frameworks such as attachment theory and the broaden-and-build theory, from well-established existing studies. Our analysis of survey data from Korean consumers reveals that the more users feel self-connected or socially connected with mobile applications, the stronger they build attachment with the applications. It also shows that when users have stronger attachment with applications, they show not only more supportive Words-Of-Mouth (WOM) for the mobile applications, but also higher self-efficacy and higher life satisfaction, in general. Several important managerial implications are provided for managers and marketers to help make powerful mobile applications for effective mobile communications.