Deriving Psychodynamics Among Consumers Through Social Media

Abstract

Despite an increasing interest in understanding consumer behaviour through social media, there is paucity of research concerning psychodynamics among consumers derived by online social networks in emerging economies. The aim of this paper is to explore the role of vloggers (video bloggers) as key network performers to derive consumer psychodynamics (consumers' interactions reflected in a company) through social media, specifically YouTube, through the lens of the experiential view and the Social Network Theory. This work will contribute to the extant literature by determining (1) the relevance of the experiential view approach in online social networks' performance, (2) how psychodynamics among consumers are conducted through social media, specifically YouTube, and (3) how key network performers as YouTube's vloggers derive psychodynamics among consumers. Using an inductive approach and grounded theory to analyse the results, the research findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of online consumer behaviour, therefore, yields more valuable information by examining the experiential view in a digital environment.