Understanding electronic word of behavior: conceptualization of the observable digital traces of consumers’ behaviors

Abstract

Preferred Abbreviated Title for Running Head (maximum of 65 characters including spaces) Understanding Electronic Word of Behavior (eWOB)

The digitization of the individual: conceptual foundations and opportunities for research

“…In their conceptual paper, Katrine Kunst and Ravi Vatrapu (BUnderstanding electronic word of behavior: conceptualization of the observable digital traces of consumers' behaviors^) focus on the digital traces that consumers leave behind in their digitized environment (Kunst and Vatrapu 2019). They develop the concept of BElectronic Word of Behavior' (eWOB)^as an instantiation of Digital Trace Data and theorize its relation to existing concepts of Social Interactions and Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM).…”

From panopticon to heautopticon: A new form of surveillance introduced by quantified‐self practices

“…While this monitoring helps in correcting anomalies and solving weight problems (Depper & Howe, ), it also facilitates an extensive collection of private data and general surveillance of humans (Turel et al, ). Research points out a digitised individual (Matt, Trenz, Cheung, & Turel, ), a kind of data double (Haggerty & Ericson, ) that leaves traces every time the person uses the technology (Kunst & Vatrapu, ; Poster, ). Thus, researchers also view the QS as a threat to privacy (Lanzing, ; Lupton, ; Ouellet, Ménard, Bonenfant, & Mondoux, ).…”

Beyond popularity: A user perspective on observable behaviours in a digital platform

“…Such information about other users' opinions and behaviours has been referred to in the IS and Marketing literature as (online) social interaction information (Godes et al, 2005; Thies et al, 2016). The opinion‐based type is commonly referred to as eWOM (Cheung et al, 2014; Thies et al, 2016), whereas behaviour‐based information was recently conceptualised as eWOB by Kunst and Vatrapu (2019) to better understand the phenomenon of digital platforms' use of observable behaviours in digital interfaces, and to overcome the diverse terminology in existing research on this phenomenon.…”

“…However, in the examples of Spotify, GroupOn and Airbnb the traces of user behaviour are not only used as invisible inputs for recommendation engines but they are also actively presented to users in the user interface, alongside electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in the shape of reviews and ratings. As such, the digital traces of user behaviour are turned into a form of observable digital communication, recently referred to as electronic word of behaviour (eWOB) by Kunst and Vatrapu (2019), and defined as 'published accounts of behavior, based on the unobservable digital traces of consumers' behaviors ' (p. 324).…”

“…Similarly, Mäntymäki et al (2020) recently warned against the ‘mechanistic implementation of social features’ in digital services, and called for more attention to the user context and potential value for the individual user. Finally, Kunst and Vatrapu (2019), in a review of eWOB as a concept, called for more research into potential extended uses of eWOB beyond its decision‐guiding function.…”