Not easy to “like”: How does cognitive load influence user engagement in online reviews?

Abstract

User engagement (e.g., likes, shares, and comments) is widely recognized as critical to business success. Although existing studies have explored the determinants of user engagement, relatively little attention has been paid to cognitive load. This study, based on cognitive load theory, expectation confirmation theory, and the stressor-strain-outcome framework, examines the heterogeneous effects of intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load on user engagement in Study 1, the moderating effects of intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load variance (i.e., described as cognitive load changes induced by processing from one review to another review) in Study 1, and their underlying mechanisms in Study 2. Results indicate that: (1) intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load negatively influence user engagement, while germane cognitive load has a positive effect, (2) intrinsic/extraneous cognitive load variance accentuates the negative effect of intrinsic/extraneous cognitive load, while germane cognitive load variance strengthens the positive effect of germane cognitive load, and (3) perceived fatigue negatively mediates the effects of intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load but positively mediates the effect of germane cognitive load. Our findings contribute to the literature on user engagement and offer practical insights for optimizing online review systems.