Web-Image Signifier Congruency Theory (WISC): Conceptualization and Examination in an Online Donation Context

The paper extends web-image signifier theory (WIS) (Zahedi and Bansal 2011) to suggest a new theory – Web-Image Signifier Congruency Theory (WISC). WISC suggests that web-image signifiers form the cultural schemas; which, when aligned with appropriate individual’s identity, lead to identity congruency and image-appeal. The study uses three website homepage screenshots depicting three different images each varying in cultural dimensions –masculinity/femininity, individualism/collectivism, and power distance. The study shows that the “fit†between user’s cultural dimensions and the depicted web-image signifiers (WIS) leads to cultural congruency and appeal; which then impact attitude and behavioral intentions towards the website. We examine the WISC theory in the context of online donations. The study makes several important contributions: it proposes a new WISC theory; and suggests that its one’s cultural identity “fit†with the dominant web-image signifier that impacts cultural congruency and image appeal. Implications and future research directions are discussed