Understanding users’ recommendation intention of online museums: a perspective of the cognition-emotion-behavior theory and the expectation confirmation model

This study explores the stickiness intention and recommendation intention of online museum users. Based on the Cognition-Emotion-Behavior theory and the Expectation Confirmation Model, we proposed a research model to examine the interrelations among users’ cognitive perceptions of online museums (i.e., esthetics, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived value, and cultural memory), their emotional responses (i.e., cultural identity and satisfaction), and their consequent behavioral intentions (i.e., stickiness intention and recommendation intention). Furthermore, we also examined the moderating effect of cultural motivation. 353 valid responses were received and analyzed with structural equation modeling. The results indicated that (a) Satisfaction and stickiness intention directly and significantly positively predict recommendation intention; (b) Cultural identity does not exert a direct impact on recommendation intention; instead, it indirectly positively predicts recommendation intention through the mediation of satisfaction and stickiness intention; (c) Perceived value and cultural memory play a very prominent role, and they positively influence satisfaction and cultural identity. In light of these findings, implications and recommendations for upcoming research were discussed.