What drives stickiness in location-based AR games? An examination of flow and satisfaction

Exploring the determinants of users' co-creation behavior on music streaming platforms in China

Music streaming platforms have recently become one of the latest innovative music devices used to replace traditional music sets. In order to examine users' behavior on music streaming platforms, this study proposes an extended research model based on flow theory and investigates the relationship between flow experience and co-creation behavior. A partial least square methodology was employed to test the proposed model and corresponding hypotheses on data collected from 390 survey samples. The results showed that flow experience has a significant influence on users' co-creation behavior. Among the three antecedents, only perceived skill and perceived interactivity have the strongest effects on flow experience, while perceived control has little effect on flow experience. This study discusses some valuable theoretical implications and offers insights useful for both researchers and practitioners.

Flow Experience Is a Key Factor in the Likelihood of Adolescents' Problematic TikTok Use: The Moderating Role of Active Parental Mediation

TikTok use and overuse have grown rapidly in recent years among adolescents. However, risk factors for problematic TikTok use are still largely unknown. In addition, drawing on the flow theory and parental mediation theory, this study aims to examine how adolescents' perceptions of enjoyment, concentration, and time distortion affect their problematic TikTok use behavior. Further, we examined the moderating effect of active parental mediation. An online survey in China received responses from a sample of 633 adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 (males: 51.2%; M_age = 15.00; DS = 0.975). Our findings showed that enjoyment was positively associated with concentration and, in turn, with time distortion. We also found significant positive effects of concentration and time distortion on problematic TikTok use. The effect of enjoyment, however, was non-significant, indicating that hedonic mood was not associated with problematic TikTok use. Out of the three moderated relationships examined in this study, only active parental control was found to be a significant moderator for the relationship between concentration and problematic TikTok use. The significant negative moderation result showed that as active parental mediation grows, the impact of adolescents' concentration on problematic TikTok use is reduced. Future research directions and implications are discussed.

The addiction behavior of short-form video app TikTok: The information quality and system quality perspective

TikTok has one of the most advanced algorithm systems and is the most addictive as compared to other social media platforms. While research on social media addiction is abundant, we know much less about how the TikTok information system environment affects users' internal states of enjoyment, concentration, and time distortion (which scholars define as the flow experience), which in turn influences their addiction behavior. To fill this gap, this study collects responses from 659 adolescents in China aged between 10 and 19 years old, and the data is then analyzed using Partial Least Square (PLS). We find that the system quality has a stronger influence than information quality in determining adolescents' experience with TikTok and that the flow experience has significant direct and indirect effects on TikTok addiction behavior. Notably, this study finds that TikTok addiction is determined by users' mental concentration on the medium and its content. Several theoretical insights from the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model and the flow theory are used to explain the findings.

Immersive Media-Based Tourism Emerging Challenge of VR Addiction Among Generation Z

The virtual reality (VR) applications in entertainment and tourism industry have become growingly intense among generation Z. Interestingly, some pilot research on tourism studied concluded the positive impact of its flow experience on adoption of VR tourism, which is also driving the risk of immersive addictive. In the context of tourism and information and communication technology (ICT)-based innovation, there is a lack of immersive addictive behavior (IAB)-related literature. In addition, during the currently ongoing pandemic crisis, VR technology has gained particular importance in the tourism industry among generation Z. The present venture underlines the mechanism of IAB, investigates the VR addiction while underlining the cognitive abilities of individuals. This study applies empirical framework of cognitive-behavioral model. Results demonstrate that in the case of VR tourism, the immersive experience (presence and flow) determines the addictive behavior. Furthermore, VR imagery (VI), psychological curiosity (PC), and VR convenience (VRC) have significant influence on the VR presence and immersive flow. Moreover, the practical and theoretical implications have been discussed in the current research to prevent IAB.

Understanding How Product Reviews on YouTube Affect Consumers’ Purchase Behaviors in Indonesia: An Exploration Using the Stimulus-Organism-Response Paradigm

Product reviews on YouTube have become highly beneficial to consumers’ decision-making, as they can help consumers judge and experience products before making purchases. Consequently, scholars and managers must understand consumer behaviors regarding product reviews and identify factors influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions. A novel contribution of the study is the introduction of a model based on the stimulus-organism-response paradigm that explains how sensory marketing and information adoption affect parasocial interaction, trust (cognitive and affective), and information usefulness that are correlated with consumers’ responses to stickiness, adoption, and purchase intentions. To empirically evaluate the proposed research model, we conducted an online survey of 611 participants who had purchased products based on YouTube product reviews. We performed data analysis using structural equation modelling and Smart-PLS software, and the results indicated that all hypotheses were supported except for parasocial interaction and information usefulness, which were rejected. This study could provide insights into the antecedents and consequences of purchase intentions in light of YouTube product reviews, thus contributing knowledge of online consumer behaviors to help managers understand consumer behaviors regarding social media and formulate marketing strategies.

Effects of gain-loss-framed messages on virtual reality intervened fitness exercise

Purpose

Technology for fitness provides users with numerous features that aid the achievement of intended fitness/health goals such as checking consumption habits and adherence to exercise. Based upon the concepts of self-efficacy and prospect theories, this study aims to inspect the influence of messages frame on behavioral usage of virtual reality (VR) technology intervened fitness exercise.

Design/methodology/approach

By usage of a laboratory-based experiment commissioning certain fitness exercises, this study is conducted on 150 respondents. An assessment is conducted on the efficiency of gain appeal mechanism (exercise performance feedback) toward the usage of VR intervened fitness exercise and measured surge in exercise self-efficacy (ESE), playfulness (PL) and outcome expectations.

Findings

The results show that gain-appealed/framed messages prove advantageous over loss-appealed/framed in performing VR intervened exercises. A bootstrapped (method) mediation analysis confirms higher positive effects of gain-framed messages upon intentions to use VR intervened fitness exercise. VR intervened fitness exercise was strongly and positively mediated by ESE, PL and outcome expectations.

Practical implications

This study is of help to researchers and marketers trying to understand the role played by gain- and loss-framed messages on VR technology enabled fitness exercises.

Originality/value

This study helps VR and fitness technology developers and marketers understand the effectiveness of persuasive performance messages toward VR fitness exercise technology adoption amalgamating message intervention with better technology usage.

Understanding Continuance Usage of Mobile Learning Applications: The Moderating Role of Habit

This study explored the factors that affect the intention of users to continue using mobile learning (m-learning) applications (apps). The influence of habit on user behavior toward information systems has been extensively discussed in the literature, but its role in the continuance of users when it comes to their usage of apps, especially m-learning apps, has rarely been reported. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of behaviors regarding the use of m-learning apps, this study constructed a theoretical research framework based on expectation confirmation theory and flow theory by considering habit as a moderating variable. Online questionnaires were administered to users of m-learning apps in Taiwan and data were analyzed through a structural equation modeling approach. The results indicated that the intention of users to continue using m-learning apps was influenced by satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and flow experience. Expectation confirmation affected user satisfaction and perceived usefulness. Differences existed in the intention to continue usage between users with strong and weak habits. In addition, perceived usefulness, expectation confirmation, and flow experience had direct and positive effects on satisfaction. The implications of these findings were discussed.

AI-Powered “Voice Recognition Avatar”

Consumers like to try innovative technologies when they perceive them to be approachable, convenient, and entertaining. The purpose of this study was to explore the adoption of AI voice recognition avatar in the gameplay. This study's interesting insights show us that gamers are keen and interested in voice recognition technology. The study augments value to TAM theories, perceive value theory and the flow theory with localization's moderating role. The 218 respondents from China provided useful insights. In China, gaming is a vast industry, and such gaming options can attract current and new gamers. Thus, AI can benefit gamers in this regard and give them the freedom to interact with their avatar through the power of voice recognition.

Sustainable Determinants Influencing Habit Formation among Mobile Short-Video Platform Users

Interest in mobile short-video platforms (MSVP) as a new social network service tool has surged in recent years. However, only a few studies have focused on MSVP users’ post-acceptance behavior. To clarify this issue of sustainable usage, this study analyzed users’ post-acceptance habit formation by incorporating perceived interactivity and perceived enjoyment into the expectation-confirmation theory of the information system continuance (ECT-IS) model using structural equation modelling. We developed and distributed an online questionnaire and collected 219 valid responses from Chinese MSVP users. Our results show that satisfaction is the foremost factor in determining users’ habit formation as it completely mediates the influence of confirmation and perceived interactivity. We also show that perceived enjoyment positively influences habit formation directly and indirectly. Nonetheless, we note that sustainable usage should form the basis of continuous satisfaction from user experience due to a few missing links with regard to modulation in habitual usage. Therefore, we suggest that MSVPs should enhance their content recommendation algorithms using technologies such as deep-learning forecasting to improve users’ satisfaction by increasing perceived enjoyment. We also show that the influence of perceived interactivity on habit formation is effective only when fully mediated by satisfaction. Thus, we recommend that MSVPs should diversify their interaction mechanisms, for instance, by introducing mass creators that promote users’ habit formation by enhancing their satisfaction on the platform.

Exploring the Benefit and Sacrifice Factors of Virtual Reality Gameplay

Although Virtual reality (VR) entertainment is now relatively popular, the adoption of VR devices is still low. In this study, a framework based benefit and sacrifice factors was developed to understand players' intention to use VR devices to play games. Online questionnaire items were developed and published to collect the responses from university students in Taiwan. The feedback of 152 inexperienced players and 150 experienced players were collected. The eleven hypotheses were tested by using SmartPLS, a structural equation modeling (SEM) tool. The analysis results show that the influences of the benefit factors (flow, spatial presence, and relaxation) on the adoption intention in two groups are consistent. All of the positive influences are supported. Moreover, visual fatigue had the strongest negative effects on flow and intention. Players who are opener to new technology are more possible to adopt VR devices. The findings can provide insights to VR device developers to design their VR devices/contents and marketing strategies.

Sustainability in Online Video Hosting Services: The Effects of Serendipity and Flow Experience on Prolonged Usage Time

Online video hosting services have been a highly competitive e-commerce application in recent years. The service providers constantly seek viable ways for users to prolong usage time as a model for sustainable business development. In this study, we propose a framework to verify the impact of perceived serendipity on flow experience and prolong usage time. In addition, we verify the factors of online video platforms that affect perceived serendipity, such as enabled connections, introduced unexpected information, and induced curiosity. This study used questionnaires to survey YouTube users and analyzed 405 samples using the Structural Equation Model (SEM) method. The result shows that enabled connections and introduced unexpected information significantly affect perceived serendipity, which significantly impacts on the flow experience. Although induced curiosity does not significantly affect perceived serendipity, it directly affects the flow experience. Moreover, both perceived serendipity and flow experience positively affect intentions to prolong usage time. The results validate that serendipity is another antecedent of flow experience, and support the assumption that increasing the likelihood of perceived serendipity will affect users’ intention to prolong usage time in online video hosting services. The implication of research and discussions provides references for online video hosting service providers in marketing and operations.

An in-app purchase framework for location-based AR games: the case of Pokémon Go

Purpose

Although location-based augmented reality (AR) games are popular in recent years, the motivation of in-app purchases still needs further investigation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents of the intention to make a purchase in location-based AR games.

Design/methodology/approach

This research develops a conceptual model and hypotheses based on the theory of perceived values and satisfaction to investigate the antecedents. An online questionnaire was developed and distributed on popular websites to collect data, and 662 usable responses were collected from the players of Pokémon Go in Taiwan.

Findings

In total, 22 hypotheses were validated by using partial least squares techniques. Among the antecedents of in-app purchases intention in the model, the perceived value and satisfaction were found to have strong direct effects. The antecedents of the perceived value (flow, design aesthetic, social self-expression and good price) have direct influences on the perceived value of all players. Design aesthetic, reward and the perceived value were found to have a direct impact on all players’ satisfaction. Moreover, the differences between paying users and non-paying users were discussed and verified.

Originality/value

The model demonstrated relatively good explanatory power for purchase intention in the context of location-based AR game. The proposed model can provide insights to location-based AR game developers to design their games and marketing strategies.