Psychological ownership towards online brand communities driving brand engagement: a visitors’ perspective

ABSTRACT This study investigates how visitors’ sense of psychological ownership towards online brand communities (OBCs) can influence their engagement with the focal brand. The approach is anchored in the postulates of psychological ownership theory and a theoretical model is proposed. Data collected from 387 visitors to firm-created OBCs is used for empirical model validation. Data analysis reveals that a sense of self-efficacy, accountability, belongingness, and self-identity experienced by the visitors towards the community can influence their engagement with the focal brand. Visitors’ engagement with the brand further influences their intentions towards brand purchase. Perceived diversity among the visitors moderates the effect of four dimensions of psychological ownership on brand engagement.Current study pioneers the application of psychological ownership theory in understanding visitors’ brand engagement through OBCs and depicts different moderating mechanisms. The findings offer unique theoretical and managerial implications for brand building.