Psychosocial resources linking consumer identification and social well-being: Integrating the social identity approach with transformative service research

Yuhei Inoue, Mikihiro Sato, Steve Swanson, Daniel Lock, James Du and Daniel C. Funk

Journal of Business Research, 2025, vol. 195, issue C

Abstract: This research integrates the social identity approach (SIA) to health and well-being with Transformative Service Research to explore how group-based psychosocial resources mediate the relationship between consumers’ identification with service organizations and their social well-being. Two studies with US and UK consumers of sport organizations found that purpose and meaning, perceived pro-group norms, and in-group trust functioned as mediators between consumer identification and social well-being. In addition, in-group trust served as an immediate mediator, transmitting the effects of purpose and meaning as well as perceived pro-group norms on social well-being. These findings contribute to Transformative Service Research by illustrating group-level psychological processes for promoting consumer well-being, activated through social identification with service organizations. This perspective advances current understanding of how service organizations engage consumers as in-group members to foster their well-being, extending the application of the SIA to health and well-being in business and service research.

Keywords: Transformative services; Social identity approach to health and well-being; Social identification; Transformative consumer research; Consumer well-being; Sport (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:195:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325001845

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115361

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