Fandom Philanthropy in the Social Media Era: The Role of Online Social Interactions, Group Identification, and Peer Influence in Collective Action

The rise of virtual fan communities and the online social interactions (OSIs) of fans within these communities have contributed to significant advancements in fandom philanthropy in the social media era. However, research on this emerging form of fan engagement from a collective action perspective remains limited, particularly in theorizing psychological and contextual mechanisms. Primarily drawing upon Duncan's collective action model, this study examines the relationship between fans’ OSIs within virtual communities and their intentions to engage in fandom philanthropy. A survey of Chinese fans revealed that group identification significantly mediated the relationship between OSIs and fandom philanthropy intention. Moreover, the direct effect of OSIs on philanthropy intention was significant only among fans exposed to high levels of peer influence, highlighting the moderating role of social context. These findings enhance our understanding of fandom philanthropy as a form of collective action and provide practical insights into how fandom philanthropy can be promoted in the social media age.