Hello Kathy, have you got any further with this question since you asked? Otherwise I would hop in.

Please do...any ideas/suggestions/thoughts--most appreciated.  Have you found/used/created an instrument?  Had one, but even the authors now agree there are issues with it.

Hi Kathy,

You may have a look at this paper:

Heather L. O’Brien and Elaine G. Toms (2010): The Development and Evaluation of a Survey to Measure User Engagement, In: JASIST, 61(1):50–69.

Thanks, yes I have used the reference you cite.  Issue is that it doesn't exactly work out the way they indicate it should.  A later study by them also found issues with their original measures.   Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it.  Have or are you doing research i the area?

You most welcome,

I am more interested in technology adoption and cross-cultural studies. But i came across their paper just before and thought it may be a good reference. Thanks for proving me wrong though :)

Hello Kathy,

"embedded drive loyalty bonds"

are such as coupons (get something free for something), credits (get a discount on something), get 'extra informations' about special deals (limited offers). Then we got the membership communities that offer special design products only for a certain time to an extra price.

"continued 'attachment/usage"

One shop I know uses membership bondage of customers in this way: The membership is bound to subscription in such a way that you need to log into your account at the beginning of each month and either buy something or click a button for pausing/passing. If you don't do so they cash your bank account automaticly. There is also no such thing as 'quit membership' button on profile. You either had to give them a phone call or write a letter that you want to quit your account.

However the upper few examples do also work to bound users. Especially when the costumer got a feeling he/she gets something very special here (like design products).

Then there are communities which present products from different shops and offer something like a 'gamer feeling' and being creative. For example that you as a user can create different stylings (apparel or furniture) and present it to the community. The advertising is in that case much more subtile. While using the app you also get to know the products.

Some apps also ask you to leave a comment once a product has been bought. Or they give you some extra credit if you don't give back the bought product which dispenses after f.e. 6 weeks. So if you want to have this credit you need to buy again which gives you a feeling as if you are saving money here.

Measuring engagement (some ideas):

- social support

- community feedback

- development (have a feeling as if you a learning something useful like creation)

- self-efficacy (does the use of this app make someone feel more 'worthy'?)

You can devide them into app resources and personal ressources.

Al T:

You were not wrong with your helpful reply.  I appreciate you taking the time to do this. Yes, cross-cultural is an interesting area--keep in touch. :)

Carmen:

All excellent ideas!  Would like to develop your ideas further.  I have some ideas on the attachment and the engagement can also be motivation based--if attached you are engaged.  And might these vary or not by culture... so Mr. Tarhini might also be interested.

I have a deadline to meet for a conference due Sept 30 so I will be working on that this weekend, but would like to possibly explore the ideas further and develop a working model .... if you would like.

Thanks so much.  K

Hello Kathy,

I think I understand it is a bit tricky to find suitable reasons what it is that attaches. I think it could be helpfull to play with the idea of interpassivity instead of interactivity + something which I called 'alienated alienation':

What you are playing with is not yours but the app gives you a feeling as if it is yours. Possibly because you installed it on your device. And (even if not installed) you did create some piece of work here (wrote a comment, create a collage). So this prevents alienation. (I am sure you might find more examples here; you can link it with the question about self-efficacy for example)

Through actionism you also undergo a process in which you overcome interpassivity (simply sitting and consuming pictures but not buying). I used to call that 'negative interpassivity' because it is quite different from interactivity. It is like someone gets you on the stage and you might be part of the show.

So here the redirection activity gets transformed into something with value. Let's say even this specific costumer does not buy he/she is still usefull in his/her function as an actionist and does create something for the company.

This 'spell' (think about Wittgenstein: bedevilment of the mind) gets only broken when a costumer does buy a product but the product is crap.

You have to be careful here, Kathy... because the attachment is caused by transformation of redirection activity and not by a 'natural bondage' (no father-son-relationship)

Hello Carmen:

You are correct about the 'passivity' vs. activity....so engaged as to be disengaged--mindless consumption of time....yet not having the 'tool' that allows can create a sense of 'self-loss' as it appears generation today relies on this 'tool' as socialization creating pseudo human contact via the tool....you are also correct about what firms 'get'--the wealth of user driven information--even Google and Amazon--and how 'they' interpret your search behavior--and targeting of ads...sort of creepy which also brings up the 'ethical' behavior--how creepy this might seem to some.

Your ideas about 'self' and attachment--users mobile devices are extended selves with the ability to create multiple 'selves' and then the aspect of 'virtual realities and selves'....the attachment...

Have you any thoughts about modeling these?

Dear Kathy,

When I saw your question one year has passed, I think you have already found your answer and this research continued. Otherwise, drop an eye for:

To App or Not to App: Engaging Consumers via Branded Mobile Apps.

ZZ:  For some reason or other I just found your comment.  I will look at what you suggest and thanks...brands can be thought of as the designer's name as well as the retailer (name as brand e.g. 'GAP') and thus brand meaning might indeed change...also the mobile optimization and platform...  Kathy