MEASURING CONSUMER DEVOTION: ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF PASSIONATE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

This paper conceptualizes and defines consumer devotion as a state of passionate dedication to a product, brand, or experience through which the consumer in part defines him- or herself. Initial studies find commonalities among devotees that begin to describe their behavior and affect. These commonalities or themes include participation, expertise, evangelism, possession attachment, socializing, family influence, and lack of guilt. Next a model of consumer devotion is developed, tested, and validated. Results indicate that consumer devotion is preceded by socializing in the context and family influence. Consumer devotion is then positively associated with participation in activities, expertise, and evangelizing.