The Matching Effect of Online Platform Coercive Influence Strategies and Information Sensitivity on Consumers' Willingness to Disclose Information

ABSTRACT We investigate how online platforms that align coercive influence strategies with the sensitivity of requested information affect consumer willingness to disclose information. Grounded in self‐determination theory, we propose a framework to test this matching effect and its conjoint influence on consumer disclosure behavior. We conduct three experiments in the context of websites and apps to validate our hypotheses empirically. Study 1 uses behaviorally measured dependent variables, whereas Studies 2 and 3 use scale‐measured dependent variables. The results of Studies 1 and 2 indicate that, compared to mismatch combinations, matched conditions—low coercion with low sensitivity and high coercion with high sensitivity—lead to significantly higher willingness to disclose. Study 3 further demonstrates that these matching effects are independently mediated by perceived autonomy and relatedness, which function as parallel mediators in the model. These findings offer meaningful insights for online platforms that can help them refine their information collection strategies to balance consumer privacy concerns with the demand for personalized services.