GAMIFIED CORPOTATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Abstract

This paper develops a conceptual framework to explain how corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives influence consumer behavior within the emerging context of gamified digital platforms. Drawing on Carroll’s CSR Pyramid and the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, the study integrates CSR theory with the gamification literature to examine the psychological mechanisms underlying consumer engagement. Within this framework, CSR is conceptualized as environmental stimuli embedded in digital platform ecosystems. These stimuli are theorized to shape users’ internal psychological states through gameful experiences, characterized by rewards, immersion, interactivity, and competition. Such psychological states subsequently translate into behavioral outcomes, including participation, engagement, loyalty, and advocacy. By positioning gameful experience as a central mediating mechanism, the framework highlights how digital platforms transform traditional CSR communication from passive information dissemination into interactive and experientially rich engagement processes. The proposed model contributes to the literature by bridging CSR, gamification, and consumer behavior research within a unified explanatory structure, thereby offering a systematic foundation for future empirical validation. Furthermore, the framework provides practical implications for organizations seeking to enhance stakeholder engagement, promote sustainable consumption, and design more effective platform-based CSR initiatives in digital environments.