Understanding content sharing on the internet: test of a cognitive-affective-conative model

PurposeWith the prevalence of user-generated content on the internet, this study aims to propose a cognitive-affective-conative model to examine how users create and share their content online. The moderating role of gender differences is also tested in the model.Design/methodology/approachThis study collects a representative sample of 873 internet users via a nation-wide survey in Taiwan.FindingsThe results show that hedonic value has a positive impact on internet satisfaction, and social value affects life satisfaction and internet satisfaction positively. Both life satisfaction and internet satisfaction are positively related to content sharing on the internet. In particular, the positive effect of life satisfaction on online content sharing is greater for male users than for female users.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the existing literature by investigating online content sharing behavior from the cognitive-affective-conative perspective. This study also provides a better understanding of this behavior by simultaneously examining life satisfaction and internet satisfaction as two underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, gender differences play an important role in determining content sharing on the internet.Practical implicationsFor digital marketing practitioners, this study suggests several online editing and social mechanisms for encouraging users' engagement in content sharing behavior on the internet.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first that examines a cognitive-affective-conative framework of content sharing behavior on the internet. This study also demonstrates boundary conditions of this framework by testing the moderating role of gender differences.