Event participation and advocacy: assessing the role of affective commitment and perceived benefits

The authors attempted to explain why the generally accepted models built on social exchange theory do not sufficiently capture these supporting behaviors. The authors used two types of perceived benefits (personal and community) and examined their direct and interaction effects on event affective commitment and advocacy. Of approximately 23,000 registered attendees of a recurring community running event, 1,897 participated in a web-based survey. This study used 528 responses from residents who participated in a marathon running program. The authors emphasize the importance of reflecting on different types of relationships (exchange and communal relationships) in understanding supporting behaviors.