The Effect of Private Club Members' Characteristics on the Identification Level of Members

The importance of identification (the perception of belonging to a group) among private club members was investigated in this study. Different characteristics of club membership, such as perceived product, affiliation, and participation characteristics, were investigated to determine their relationship to the level of identification a member reported. Social identity theory was used to propose and test a model that relates members' identification level to the characteristics tested. The test sample was comprised of members at country clubs in a southwest US city. The findings indicate that members' identification was positively related to perceived prestige of the club, satisfaction level with the club, length of membership, membership(s) at other clubs, and frequency of club usage. Implications of this study in relation to marketing theory and ways for club managers to foster identification are discussed.