Illuminating the invisible: Development and psychometric test of a multi-dimensional measure of consistent online lurking (COOL)

Abstract

Online lurking is a common behavior but defining it and understanding its motivations is complex. Various definitions and measurements for online lurking have been employed but have often suggested “lurking” to be conflated with other behaviors. This study developed and tested a scale to measure consistent online lurking (COOL), addressing the need for a clear conceptualization and measurement of this behavior. Exploratory factor analysis explicated two dimensions of online lurking – online invisibility and preference for content consumption, and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the two-factor structure. The resulting scale demonstrated good reliability across two samples. The study differentiates consistent lurking from information-seeking and contextual factors, focusing on individuals who tend to lurk across platforms. This conceptualization provides a theoretical contribution by illuminating a subset of online users who are often underrepresented in research but are integral to online communities despite their invisibility.