This bachelor’s thesis examines the role of perceived relatedness and autonomy as factors of
loyalty among members of online communities, outlining the conceptual foundations and
thematic frameworks in the literature dealing with this research problem. The thesis therefore
first highlights the challenges in understanding and defining the notions of online community,
participation, and loyalty. In understanding the determinants of perceived relatedness and
autonomy, the thesis then draws on self-determination theory as a conceptual framework, based
on which it reviews prior conceptual work and empirical studies with the aim to clarify and
explain the impact of perceived relatedness and perceived autonomy on the loyalty of members
across various types of online communities. In the conclusion, it identifies challenges in
conducting empirical analyses and establishing theoretical and conceptual foundations for
future research in the field.
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