口碑溝通係指包含散佈者與接受者雙方互動的溝通過程。過去的研究認為產品的認知風險愈高，則消費者愈積極尋求口碑訊息，口碑的影響效果也就愈大。上述結論忽略了認知風險對口碑散佈者可能的影響。由於產品的認知風險愈高，口碑散佈者往往無法肯定產品購買後的績效表現，再加上對詢問者的偏好亦不敢肯定；因此，也比較不願意散佈口碑推薦訊息。本研究首先透過實證問卷調查，分析認知風險對消費者認知的口碑影響力及口碑散佈意願是否有不同方向的影響效果。其次，再同時針對口碑對偶（既口碑散佈者及接收者）進行深入訪談，以輔助量化結果之討論。結果發現趨避風險是口碑散佈者經常提及的概念。階層迴歸的檢定結果，則證實若期望績效風險高且產品熟悉度低時，消費者會不願意散佈口碑訊息。但若社會心理風險高，則消費者反而傾向散佈更多口碑訊息。文中一併提出可能之解釋。

本研究亦嘗試解釋不同產品類型與口碑影響力及口碑散佈之關係，透過修正Bansal and Voyer (2000) 之程序性模型提出理論模型，最後利用線性結構方程式驗證此一關係。實證調查包含16種代表性產品，共計獲得895份有效樣本。結果證實若消費者主動詢問產品口碑訊息，則其影響力愈高，消費者也愈主動散佈口碑訊息。另外，服務相較與商品而言，受口碑的影響較高，但與消費者口碑散佈意願則無直接關係。

The first purpose of this study is to examine the effects of perceived risk on the sender and the receiver of word-of-mouth (WOM) communication. Regression analysis of 675 questionnaires confirmed that financial risk and performance risk have significant positive effects on the influence of WOM information on the receiver’s purchase decision, whereas social risk and psychological risk have significant positive effects on the sender’s intention to spread WOM information. Expected performance risk was identified as a moderator of the relationship between product familiarity and WOM spread. There was a negative relationship between expected performance risk and WOM spread when people were unfamiliar with the product. An in-depth interview on WOM dyad confirmed that WOM sender has a tendency to avoid possible regret while giving advice.

The second purpose of this study is to propose a procedural model to examine the influence of product type on both the effect and spread of related WOM information. Path analysis indicates that WOM information is more influential for services than for goods. Meanwhile, although perceived risk is typically construed as a significant antecedent of the effect of WOM communication, no direct relationship was found in this study. The extent to which WOM information is actively sought by consumers mediates the relationship between perceived risk and the effect of WOM communication.

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