Title: Conflict, dissonance and engagement in virtual communities

Authors: Jao-Hong Cheng; Ming-Hung Chang; Zong-Heng Jheng; Albert Huang; Shang-Che Huang

Addresses: National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, No. 123, Sec. 3, University Road, Douliu City, Yunlin County 640301, Taiwan, ROC ' National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, No. 123, Sec. 3, University Road, Douliu City, Yunlin County 640301, Taiwan, ROC ' National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, No. 123, Sec. 3, University Road, Douliu City, Yunlin County 640301, Taiwan, ROC ' University of the Pacific, 3601 Pacific Ave. Stockton, CA 95211, USA ' National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, No. 123, Sec. 3, University Road, Douliu City, Yunlin County 640301, Taiwan, ROC

Abstract: This paper studied the users' relationships among three constructs in virtual communities: conflict, dissonance, and engagement, with dissonance as the mediating variable. We collected 327 members' data from a virtual community and analysed the relationship between conflict and engagement. In this research, the results show that conflict has a positive effect on dissonance and engagement. The variable dissonance is positively associated with engagement, too. We find the most significant implication in this study for virtual communities and associated business operators: conflict that exists in virtual communities can create a higher level of engagement for users. The study explains and understands the users in the context of virtual communities' relationship between perceived conflict, dissonance, and engagement.

Keywords: engagement; conflict; dissonance; virtual community.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSS.2024.147739

International Journal of Services and Standards, 2024 Vol.14 No.4, pp.291 - 313

Received: 02 Oct 2023
Accepted: 16 Feb 2024
Published online: 28 Jul 2025 *

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