| The continuous growth of the Internet and social media use creates a need to better understand the impact that this phenomenon has on individuals. Through social media sites, individuals can communicate purchasing preferences through "likes" and "comments" in response to like-minded individuals' posts. Using social identity theory as a basis, the purpose of this study was to determine if social influence principles (likability and social validation) and risk within Facebook communities influence Baby Boomers' online purchasing behaviors. A non-experimental quantitative design was used to sample 130 participants recruited through announcements on Facebook and word of mouth. Employing a Likert scale of 1-5, a survey asked respondents to answer various questions about their social media use, how they communicate within these networks, and how the likability, social validation, and risk within these communities influence their online purchasing behavior. From the study, it was found that Facebook communities have significant influence on Baby Boomers' online purchasing behavior regarding risk and social validation, but likability had almost no influence. This study is particularly important for marketers who use social media channels to ready Baby Boomer consumers. |
