Personality Traits as Predictors of Online Customer Review Motivations

Abstract

Online customer reviews (OCRs) are becoming increasingly popular among consumers who read them to make informed decisions about products and services. This study investigates consumers’ motivations for posting OCRs and the relationship between the motivations and the Big Five personality traits. The data come from an online sample of 352 online users who reported posting a review of a good or service. The results of the study indicate that individuals who post OCRs are driven primarily by interest in helping other consumers, followed by economic incentives, venting, self-efficacy, and social interaction. Using regression analyses, agreeableness was found to be positively related to interest in helping others and economic incentives, but negatively related to the venting motivation. Extraversion was found to be positively related to social interaction. Further exploration using canonical correlation analysis revealed a cluster of association between self-interested helpers (i.e., those motivated by economic incentives and the desire to help other consumers) and the Big Five personality traits of agreeableness and extraversion. Practical implications of these findings are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.