Examining association members’ loyalty by investigating the relationships among motivation, psychological ownership, and attachment: A moderating role of local chapter involvement.

Abstract

Professional associations generate a substantial economic impact, with annual meetings accounting for nearly 30% of their revenue. However, member retention remains a persistent challenge due to the voluntary nature of engagement. While previous research has primarily focused on event organizers or destinations, few studies have closely examined members’ experiences, emphasizing the role of local chapters in strengthening commitment and loyalty. Additionally, researchers have rarely explored the dimensional relationships among psychological ownership, place attachment, and involvement. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate how motivation influences psychological ownership through self-efficacy, self-identity, belonging, and accountability, and how these dimensions impact place attachment through identity, dependence, social bonding, and affect, ultimately affecting member loyalty. Additionally, this study examines how local chapter involvement moderates these relationships. This study employed a quantitative research design, utilizing online surveys distributed to National Association of Catering and Events members and the Professional Convention Management Association across three U.S. regions: the Southwest, Midwest, and Northeast. A total of 330 valid responses were obtained using a closed-ended, self-administered questionnaire consisting of 40 items, rated on a 5-point Likert scale, that measured motivation, psychological ownership (four dimensions), place attachment (four dimensions), psychological involvement (three dimensions), and loyalty. Following a two-step approach (Anderson & Gerbing, 1988), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to validate the measurement model, followed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships. To assess the moderating effects of psychological involvement, Latent Moderated Structural Equation Modeling (LMS) and simple slope analysis were employed (Maslowsky et al., 2015). The findings revealed that motivation significantly influenced all psychological ownership dimensions, with belonging showing the most substantial effect on all attachment dimensions. At the same time, self-efficacy only impacted social bonding and affect. Among attachment dimensions, only dependence and affect positively predicted loyalty. Psychological involvement moderated several paths: attraction strengthened the link between motivation and accountability but weakened the effects of self-efficacy and self-identity on social bonding; centrality enhanced motivation’s impact on accountability but reduced its influence on belonging; and self-expression moderated relationships involving belonging, self-efficacy, and social bonding. The moderating role of psychological involvement highlights the complex influence of local chapter engagement on members’ psychological ownership and attachment. This study enriches the literature on member engagement and organizational psychology by examining professional association members through a multi-theoretical lens, integrating Self-Determination Theory, psychological ownership, place attachment, and psychological involvement. By extending these psychological constructs to voluntary association contexts and events, the study highlights the emotional and symbolic dimensions of engagement, particularly through place attachment and local chapter involvement. Practically, the findings offer actionable strategies for associations and event planners, emphasizing the importance of designing development opportunities, emotionally resonant experiences, and leadership pathways that align with members’ psychological needs. Empowering local chapters and leveraging feedback tools grounded in the study’s framework can help identify engagement gaps, guide retention strategies, and ultimately strengthen long-term organizational success. These insights suggest that associations can enhance member loyalty by fostering inclusive communities and activating local chapters to build accountability and professional identity.