Unique influences of cognitive and affective customer-company identification

Recent research suggests both the cognitive and affective dimensions of customer-company identification (CCI) influence outcomes of interest such as customer loyalty. Yet no research has empirically examined whether there are separate firm influenced drivers of the cognitive (CCICog) and affective (CCIAff) dimensions of CCI. The current research examines how two sets of drivers, symbolic and social, uniquely affect CCICog and CCIAff in comparison to 21 control variables. The results suggest CCICog is primarily influenced by antecedents that assist in self-definition (e.g., identity similarity and in-group ties) whereas CCIAff is primarily influenced by antecedents that assist in self-evaluation (e.g., organizational prestige and in-group bond). In addition, social drivers enhance the effect of symbolic drivers on CCICog whereas social drivers attenuate the effect of symbolic drivers on CCIAff.