Search Results (39)

Virtual influencers (VIs) on e-commerce platforms are becoming increasingly popular, enhancing the consumer experience. This study examines the consumer–brand relationship (CBR) with VIs through the perspective of social presence. Data from 1041 e-commerce platform users (e.g., Douyin, RED, Weibo) were collected and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that both the visual and mental human-likeness of VIs significantly strengthen CBR, with social presence acting as a mediator. Additionally, the interaction between visual and mental human-likeness positively impacts social presence, which in turn enhances CBR. Moreover, consumers’ need for uniqueness moderates the relationship between social presence and CBR, providing valuable insights for virtual influencer strategies in e-commerce. This research suggests the feasibility of leveraging VI design both visually and mentally to capture new trends in developing effective virtual campaigns with digitization and metaverse technologies. This study extends the stream of research VIs use for interactive marketing, highlighting the role of parasocial relationships in interactive marketing. These findings can provide managers with a better understanding of VI design from both visual and mental aspects. Full article

This investigation examines the psychological mechanisms governing human–virtual influencer relationships and their consequential impact on environmentally-conscious consumer behavior within digital marketing ecosystems. Employing theoretical frameworks from computer-mediated communication and social psychology, this study scrutinizes how algorithmically generated social media personalities cultivate para-social relationships that drive sustainable consumption patterns. The research operationalizes five core virtual influencer characteristics—expertise, similarity, attractiveness, familiarity, and para-social interaction—as predictive variables influencing relationship commitment and subsequent eco-conscious brand engagement. Consumer innovativeness functions as a moderating variable within this theoretical model. The data collection encompassed 677 respondents demonstrating active engagement with sustainability-focused virtual influencer content, analyzed through structural equation modeling (EQS 6.4) and the PLS-SEM methodology (SmartPLS 4.0). The empirical analysis reveals significant positive correlations between virtual influencer characteristics and relationship commitment, with similarity and attractiveness demonstrating the strongest predictive validity. Relationship commitment emerged as a significant mediator influencing sustainable brand attitudes, which subsequently affected purchase intentions for environmentally responsible products. Consumer innovativeness demonstrated positive moderating effects across all virtual influencer characteristics, with particularly robust effects observed for attractiveness and para-social interaction within sustainable brand contexts. This research advances the human–AI interaction literature by elucidating the psychological mechanisms through which virtual influencers facilitate consumer relationship formation and drive behavioral outcomes toward sustainable consumption practices. The findings provide empirically validated strategic frameworks for marketers developing virtual influencer campaigns that promote environmental stewardship, emphasizing the cultivation of perceived similarity and attractiveness while incorporating audience innovativeness as a critical segmentation variable in sustainable marketing initiatives. Full article

This study employs uses and gratifications theory and the news value of celebrity to explore comments from New Zealanders on the news coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, New Zealand’s constitutional Head of State. Twenty-five participants kept a weekly diary of their news consumption and participated in focus groups to discuss their understanding of news. As the focus groups coincided with the media coverage of the Queen’s death, the participants discussed their responses to the news coverage of this event. These comments were classified by the sentiment expressed and analyzed in two age cohorts to explore the cognitive and affective responses of the participants. Overall, the participants over 26 years had more affective responses, and those under 26 years had more cognitive responses. With the older cohort, the participants experienced more media interactions with Queen Elizabeth II and had stronger grief responses and connections to her death, but it was hard to determine the full extent of any parasocial relationships. This paper concludes that uses and gratifications theory and news values can assist in understanding how audiences form connections to celebrities through the news media. In turn, these connections will impact how the news media cover celebrity deaths and the public mourning rituals of audiences. Full article

Based on para-social interaction (PSI) theory and social identity perspective, this study explores the mechanisms driving consumers’ impulse buying in social live shopping. It examines how live content design, namely information comprehensiveness (INFCOM) and interactivity (INT), affects consumer cognition and affective experiences, namely perceived usefulness (PU), PSI, and sense of belonging (SOB), to generate the influence of the urge to buy impulsively (UBI), and further explores the moderating role of the consumer–broadcaster para-social relationship (PSR) between live content design and consumer experience. Findings indicate that in an accumulative social live shopping environment, comprehensive information and strong interactivity enhance consumer social identity, reduce shopping hesitations and obstacles, and encourage UBI. Forming a close consumer–broadcaster relationship is crucial for promoting social identity and increasing UBI. Even without interactive engagement, consumers who feel a close connection with the broadcaster still experience interaction and SOB. PSR influences impulse buying by enhancing consumer perceptions and thereby promoting UBI. This study advances the understanding of impulse buying from a social identity perspective and suggests that merchants and livestream designers can improve quality and sales by providing comprehensive product information and incorporating diverse interactive elements in live broadcasts. Full article

This pilot study investigated how viewers perceive Monica Geller’s personality using three evidence-based personality models: Big Five, HEXACO, and Cloninger’s Biopsychosocial Model. Additionally, it examined how these perceptions are associated to audiences’ engagement in parasocial relationships with this iconic character from the sitcom Friends. A sample of sixty-three participants assessed Monica’s personality by responding to the Big Five Inventory (BFI), the HEXACO-60, and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-60). Participants also completed the Multidimensional Measure of Parasocial Relationships (MMPR). Personality scores were contextualized against U.S. population norms (N_BFI = 711, N_HEXACO = 1126, N_TCI = 1948) and Pearson correlations were conducted to explore associations between personality traits and the Affective, Behavioral, Cognitive, and Decisional dimensions of parasocial engagement. Normative comparisons revealed Monica’s perceived Openness and Agreeableness in the Big Five and her Openness and Agreeableness in the HEXACO as significantly below average, while her Big Five Neuroticism and her HEXACO Conscientiousness were significantly above average. In the Biopsychosocial Model, Monica’s Persistence was significantly higher than population norms, while Cooperativeness was significantly lower. Big Five Agreeableness showed correlations across all parasocial engagement dimensions. HEXACO Emotionality was strongly linked to the Affective and Behavioral dimensions, while Honesty–Humility was associated with Cognitive parasocial engagement. In the Biopsychosocial Model, Reward Dependence and Cooperativeness were associated with Cognitive and Affective parasocial engagement, while Self-Directedness was linked to the Behavioral dimension. The Biopsychosocial Model offered the most comprehensive insights, capturing the multidimensional nature of viewer–character engagement. The Big Five and HEXACO models added valuable perspectives, particularly in explaining that traits associated with trust and kindness are linked to decision making. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating multiple personality frameworks to advance the understanding of parasocial relationship engagement, shedding light on the nuanced ways personality traits shape audience perceptions and relationships with media characters, with significant implications for media psychology and personality research. Limitations and avenues for future developments are discussed, building on the insights from this pilot study. Full article

Emerging as a pivotal trend on social media, food review vlogs not only narrate culinary experiences but also boost local cuisine and economic growth. This study delves into how such vlogs and vlogger traits affect viewer attitudes and restaurant visit intentions, guided by the stimulus–organism–response paradigm. Hypotheses were quantitatively assessed through an online survey with 347 participants from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk), analyzed using SPSS 22 and AMOS 22 for structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that informativeness, entertainment, and vividness influence viewers’ engagement with food review vlogs, while attractiveness and homophily are major predictors of parasocial relationships. Content engagement and parasocial relationships exerted positive influences on attitudes and visiting intentions toward the reviewed restaurants. The findings contribute to the empirical understanding of foodservice communication by identifying key characteristics of food review vlogs and vloggers that drive viewer engagement and behavioral intentions. Building on an established theoretical foundation, this study underscores the practical significance of the S–O–R model in digital marketing, offering actionable insights to empower content creators and marketers in driving audience engagement and shaping consumer behavior. Full article

Social media platforms fostering a closer and more intimate bond between celebrities and their fan bases has opened up diverse avenues for product placement. In light of this, this study endeavors to explore the profound influence of parasocial interaction (PSI) and product placement on the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement within the social media landscape. The results derived from an online experiment unveil the positive impact of parasocial interaction on consumers’ attitudes and purchase intention. Notably, the potency of PSI is enhanced when product placement is prominent. The results also uncover the crucial role of brand recall as a mediator in the relationship between parasocial interaction and endorsement outcomes. These findings shed light on the underlying mechanisms governing the influence of parasocial interaction and social media celebrity types in the realm of social media endorsement while also providing valuable insights into the moderating role of product placement. From a practical standpoint, the results underscore the critical importance of carefully selecting celebrity endorsers and strategically positioning products. Armed with this knowledge, marketers and advertisers can better explore the complex landscape of social media endorsement with greater efficacy and precision. Full article

This article explores the role of social media marketing in shaping economic decisions among consumers. This study aims to examine the characteristics influencing consumer intentions, with a strong emphasis on the role of influencers. In order to conduct this study, a logistic regression was employed. The sample reveals that individuals who view influencers as credible sources of information and experience, those who exhibit homophily with influencers, those who perceive the influencers’ content as high-quality, and those who develop strong parasocial relationships with influencers show higher consumption intentions. In contrast, older individuals tend to have lower consumption intentions. These consumption intention characteristics vary across genders and generations. The study concludes with recommendations targeting all relevant stakeholders, influencers, businesses, policy makers, and consumers. Full article

In this article, I analyse the function of supporting child-characters in contemporary videogames. I integrate Stephen Zimmerly’s typology of sidekicks in Young Adult literature with critical writing on the ‘Daddening’ of videogames, a coinage that refers to the rise in the number of videogames that centre on the filial bond between a father figure and a child. Bringing these ideas into conversation with each other allows me to expand Zimmerly’s sidekick typology to include the ‘Ludic Gateway’, the ‘Morality Certificate’, and the ‘Disciplinary Tool’. I explore each category in greater depth using two case studies: The Last of Us series (2012; 2014; 2020) and the God of War series (2008; 2018; 2022). These commercially successful, critically acclaimed franchises rely on young deuteragonists to humanize and redeem the gruff, aggressive, violent male player character. Furthermore, the child sidekicks also serve to regulate the player’s in-game behaviour by way of a parasocial relationship. Using a close reading approach, I demonstrate that the supporting child-characters function as meta-critical devices to discipline gaming communities and the video game medium itself. Full article

Social media has introduced influencers and influencer marketing (IM), which is becoming increasingly popular among marketers. The effectiveness of IM is significantly influenced by parasocial interactions (PSI) and parasocial relationships (PSR) that develop between followers and influencers. Historically, a variety of scales have been used to measure PSI and PSR, raising concerns about the comparability of research results. Given the recent growth of IM and the importance of PSI and PSR within it, we aimed to examine how these constructs are measured in IM. We conducted a literature review, analyzing 72 studies focused on the empirical measurement of PSI and PSR. We found a significant heterogeneity in the measurement of PSI and PSR, identifying 26 scales for PSI and 29 scales for PSR, with two scales being used for measuring both PSI and PSR. This high degree of variability among scales that are supposed to measure the same constructs raises questions about the comparability of the results. We identified a critical need for clearer conceptual and empirical differentiation between PSI and PSR, which should be reflected in the development of measurement instruments. It is essential to develop reliable and valid scales that account for these differences and distinctly measure PSI and PSR in IM. Full article

China is a populous country and its growing elderly population is pushing the whole country into the maelstrom of an aging society. The media practices and media interactions of empty-nesters have gradually become a real issue that is affecting the deepening transformation of Chinese society given the dual concerns of aging and mediatization. This study conducted in-depth interviews with 23 empty-nesters, chosen using the snowball sampling method combined with participant observation, to obtain their habits and behaviors related to social media use so to analyze the impact of media interactions on their daily life and social networks from a mediatized perspective. The availability of social media was found to influence their media use habits in four dimensions—technical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral—in the face of the digital divide, media memory writing, the construction of parasocial relationships, and embodied collaboration. These influences not only shaped and promoted the socialization of empty-nesters on social media networks but also extended to their daily life, as these influences enhanced both their mental and physical quality of life in old age. Full article

The diverse content of and ease of listening to podcasts have made podcasts popular, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisers have begun to recognize their marketing potential and are now hiring podcasters to recommend their products. This study sought to determine the factors influencing podcast commitment, parasocial interaction (PSI), and the intention to purchase podcaster-endorsed items. It was conducted in Taiwan with a sample size of 578 participants and an online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling and mediation analysis were applied to the collected data from the perspective of uses and gratifications theory. We found that podcast commitment is positively related to edutainment, storytelling transportation, and social engagement. Social engagement is positively related to PSI, while storytelling transportation has a negative relationship with PSI. Additionally, there is a strong positive correlation between podcast commitment and PSI and both factors positively influence the intention to purchase podcaster-endorsed items. PSI also significantly moderates the positive relationship between podcast commitment and the intent to buy podcaster-endorsed items. Full article

The emergence of virtual influencers and AI doctors has significantly increased the attention of Chinese users, especially their health awareness and cancer health literacy. In our current study, guided by parasocial relationship theory, we examined the psychological antecedents that influence Chinese young adults’ willingness to engage in liver cancer prevention. Specifically, we aimed to examine the mediated mechanism of reduced unrealistic optimism within this relationship. A total of 252 respondents participated in this study, and the valid data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and mediation analysis to test our hypotheses. The results demonstrated three positive correlations between psychological factors (including perceived severity, parasocial relationship, and response efficacy) and Chinese young adults’ willingness to engage in liver cancer prevention. Furthermore, we found that reduced unrealistic optimism mediated these relationships. These findings provide valuable practical insights for Chinese health departments and experts to develop effective health campaign strategies that utilize multiple media platforms for optimal promotion. Full article

The purpose of this study was to analyze the mediating role of digital health literacy and the moderating effect of parasocial relationships on the relationship between the viewing experience of health exercise-related YouTube content and the intention for health exercise behavior. Based on the health action process approach, this study established a foundational theoretical model to analyze how digital health literacy mediates the impact of media viewing experience on health exercise behavior intention. Additionally, this study examined the moderating effect of parasocial relationships with YouTube creators. For empirical analysis, variables were measured using a self-administration method among 409 randomly sampled consumers of YouTube health exercise content. The collected data were analyzed using a structural equation model incorporating mediation parameters, and a multigroup model analysis was conducted to understand differences based on parasocial relationships. The results revealed that increased YouTube viewing experience enhanced cognitive, skill, and evaluative components of digital health literacy, which were significant factors in increasing health exercise behavior intention. Notably, the mediating effect of cognition played a crucial role, and the strengthening effect of parasocial relationships on this relationship was confirmed. These findings can be utilized as practical foundational data for designing digital health communication strategies, particularly in developing motivational mechanisms that encourage consumers to engage voluntarily and consistently in health behaviors based on online health information. Full article

This study investigates the use of live streaming as a strategic tool in the tourism industry, with a focus on the attributes of live streamers that influence viewer engagement, particularly in the context of South Korea’s digital landscape. The purpose of this research is to understand how the attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise of live streamers can affect the parasocial relationships—characterized by perceived friendship and trust—between viewers and streamers and how these relationships subsequently influence viewer loyalty and cooperation intentions. A quantitative research methodology was employed, utilizing a structured online survey distributed by a leading market research agency in South Korea. The survey targeted a diverse demographic to ensure a comprehensive analysis of digital consumer behavior in the tourism sector. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 28.0 and IBM SPSS Amos 28.0, employing structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized relationships. The results revealed that while attractiveness and trustworthiness impact perceived friendship, only expertise significantly affects trust for a travel live streamer. Furthermore, perceived friendship plays a crucial role in fostering loyalty to and cooperation with the streamer, having practical implications for the tourism industry in terms of crafting marketing strategies and training digital ambassadors. Th study extends parasocial interaction theory to the digital travel domain, providing original insights into virtual tourist behavior and highlighting live streaming’s significant contribution to viewer engagement. This research has limitations in its geographical focus on South Korea, suggesting the need for cross-cultural studies to validate the findings. Overall, this study offers valuable contributions to the academic literature and practical guidance for the tourism industry, emphasizing the importance of digital personalities in post-pandemic tourism recovery strategies. Full article