VIRTUAL WORLD CONSUMER BEHAVIOR DISSERTAION ANGIE M. COX, PHD BA, TRIDENT UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL 1
AGENDA Motivation, Originality, Significance and Contribution Problem Statement, Research Purpose, Research Questions Theoretical background Model and Hypotheses Methodology Data Analysis Limitations, Implications of the Research
MOTIVATION AND SIGNIFICANCE Understand consumer behavior in Virtual Worlds / fill the knowledge gap Help businesses succeed in Virtual World markets Help Information Systems designers and Virtual World developers shape components steer users to purchase Aid systems research and further clarify Virtual World consumer behavior based on user and systems attributes in order to explore specific markets and products Explain how Virtual World participants chose to buy intangible products Determine difference in Virtual World consumers versus normal shoppers based on their attributes & motivations To use Theory of Reasoned Action and Flow Theory together as well as Desire for uniqueness concept as a backbone for a proposed model Contribution: This study s findings can significantly impact Virtual World industry and provide valuable information to Information Systems designers; entrepreneurs; Virtual world developers; marketers; and for researchers, overall leading to research advancement and increased Virtual World profits.
The purpose of this research is to build and tests a model to explain Virtual World Consumer 4 Behavior by defining the relationships of user attributes such as skill, challenge and their desire for uniqueness with Virtual World Shopping attitudes and subjective norms and finally with their intentions to purchase Virtual World products. PROBLEM, PURPOSE & RESEARCH QUESTIONS Virtual Worlds are popular and growing. Players spend millions of dollars but there is a lack of information on why. Stakeholders don t understand what affects a players shopping attitudes and shopping subjective norms and overall their intentions to purchase Virtual World products. Are Virtual World user characteristics such as their skill, challenge level and desire for uniqueness positively associated with their Virtual World shopping attitude? Are Virtual World User characteristics such as their skill and challenge level positively associated with their Virtual World shopping subjective norms? (Virtual World social / game-like environment) Do Virtual World shopping attitudes and subject norms positively relate to Virtual World users intentions to purchase Virtual World products?
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1. Conceptual framework A. Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) B. Flow Theory C. Desire for Uniqueness concept 2. Hypotheses 3. Virtual World Consumer Behavior Model
TRA States behavior intention comes from a person s attitude and their subjective norms (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). - Attitudes are beliefs about the consequences of performing the behavior multiplied by his or her evaluation of these consequences (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). - Subjective norms are a collaboration of perceived expectations about the behavior from those who are important to the individual. *Pavlou and Fygenson (2006); Yu and Wu (2007): Internet shopping *Lyong (1998): Choosing to buy a specific brand *Chi, Yeh and Yang (2011): Smartphone purchases.
TRA MODEL Fishbein & Ajzen (1975)
FLOW THEORY Flow theory - Csikszentmihalyi (1990) Flow is described as an optimal experience where one is immersed entirely in the situation with great focus and involvement. Flow state is determined by two factors: skill and challenge 8
FLOW THEORY (CONTINUED) Flow inconsistencies: Dimension (single: Shin, 2006; Pearce et al., 2005); (multiple: Koufaris, 2002; Richard & Chandra, 2005) Antecedents vs consequences (Hsu & Lu, 2003 vs Agarwal & Karahanna, 2000), Woszcyznski, Roth & Segars, 2002 vs Richard & Chandra, 2005) Flow studies: Ex: perceived usefulness; proficiency Internet use, internet navigation, internet shopping (Hsu, Chang & Chen 2011; Agarwal & Karahanna, 2000; Lim, 2014; Korzaan, 2003; Hoffman & Novak, 1996) Shopping & consumer behavior (Gao & Bai, 2014; Wang & Hsiao, 2012; Siekpe, 2005) Gaming enjoyment (Holsapple & Wu, 2008; Hsu & Lu, 2004) Brand attitudes (Mathwick & Rigdon, 2004) Behavioral intentions, revisit intentions (Luna, Peracchio & de Juan, 2002; Koufaris, 2002) Because of inconsistencies: Main Factors, Skill & Challenge used, not Flow State
DESIRE FOR UNIQUENESS Virtual World users may be drawn to products that selfdefine or set them apart from others. Berger & Heath (2007) and Snyder & Fromkin (1980) - motivation to show off uniqueness is high when it is perceived to be socially profitable. Lynn & Harris (1997) - extent to which people pursue unusual objects can be influenced by their individual differences regarding the need for uniqueness. Maimaran & Wheeler (2008) / Berger and Health (2007) - situational cues activate the desire for uniqueness and specific identity Tian et al. (2001) - consumers often express uniqueness through goods as a means to develop and enhance their personal and social identities
MODEL AND HYPOTHESES H1: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s skill and their shopping attitudes within Virtual Worlds. H2: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s skill and their subjective norms regarding shopping within Virtual Worlds. H3: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s challenge level and their shopping attitude within Virtual Worlds. H4: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s challenge level and their subjective norms regarding shopping within Virtual Worlds. H5: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s desire for uniqueness and their shopping attitude within Virtual Worlds. H6: Virtual World shopping attitudes positively relate to intentions to purchase Virtual in Worlds. H7: Subjective norms regarding Virtual World shopping positively relate to intentions to purchase in Virtual Worlds.
MODEL AND HYPOTHESES Virtual World Consumer Behavior Model
HYPOTHESES 1 & 3 Flow Theory Skill Challenge Flow + Attitude H1: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s skill and their shopping attitudes within Virtual Worlds. H3: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s challenge level and their shopping attitude within Virtual Worlds. Flow Theory and Abuhamdeh & Csikszentmihalyi (2012)- Skill and challenge lead to optimal attitudes
HYPOTHESES 2 & 4 Virtual World studies & social groups Skill Challenge Flow + Subjective Norms H2: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s skill and their subjective norms regarding shopping within Virtual Worlds. H4: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s challenge level and their subjective norms regarding shopping within Virtual Worlds. Virtual World Studies: Fuchs, Sornetter & Thurner (2014); Bornstein, Gneezy & Nagel (2002); Chesney, Chuah & Hoffman (2009); Mildenberger (2013), Bornstein et al. (2002); and Virtual World Management (2008)- say as skill and challenge increase users encounters will broaden.
HYPOTHESIS 5 Consumer Studies / Virtual Worlds Studies/ Desire for Uniqueness Desire for Uniqueness + Attitude H5: There is a positive relationship between a Virtual World user s desire for uniqueness and their shopping attitude within Virtual Worlds. Higgin s (1987) Self Discrepancy Theory- consumers are motivated to purchase when there is a gap between actual self and ideal self. Ball & Taskes (1992) consumer possessions satisfy Tian et al. (2001) - consumers often express uniqueness through goods as a means to develop and enhance their personal and social identities Animesh et al. (2011) use avatar as physical body to satisfy the need to express themselves
HYPOTHESES 6 & 7 TRA Attitudes Subjective Norms + Intentions to purchase H6: Virtual World shopping attitudes positively relate to intentions to purchase Virtual in Worlds. H7: Subjective norms regarding Virtual World shopping positively relate to intentions to purchase in Virtual Worlds. TRA-(Ajzen, 1975)- Attitudes and subjective norm have a positive association with intentions to purchase.
MODEL AND HYPOTHESES Virtual World Consumer Behavior Model
METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW Methods Description Notes Research Design Study Population Level of Analysis Sampling Technique Survey Non Experimental Quantitative Explanatory Cross Sectional New York- Gamers Virtual World users age 18 &+ Survey are commonly used as to make a generalization of the population. No manipulation of predictor values, no cause and effect. Measure of what individuals think Connect ideas One point in time Multiple states, various ages, genders, education, income level etc.----limited, not mirror image of real population Individual Study request individual behaviors, attitudes and attributes Convenience sampling Gamers are targeted who have played the top most Virtual Worlds Sample Size 350 + Hoyle (1995) suggests the largest sample 18 size vs PLS-SEM requirements
METHODOLOGY: PROCEDURES FOR INSTRUMENTS, CONTROL VARIABLES & DATA COLLECTION All instruments were taken from pervious studies relevant to areas such as consumer behavior and online shopping. All instruments had reliability and validity statistics within the approved acceptability ranges. All instruments were left as close to the original as possible but modified and adapted only to fit Virtual Worlds. The variables were operationalized as ordinal variables with 7-point Likert scales and reflective indicators with the exception of skill knowledge which was based on a 6-point frequency and usage scale.
METHODOLOGY: PROCEDURES FOR INSTRUMENTS, CONTROL VARIABLES & DATA COLLECTION Control Variables based on demographics (Rose, 2010; Yee, 2006) Ensure population is matched to the real Virtual World population Provide further information regarding differences between the groups. Age (continuous variable), gender (dichotomous variable), and the Virtual World most commonly played (nominal variable)
METHODOLOGY: PROCEDURES FOR INSTRUMENTS, CONTROL VARIABLES & DATA COLLECTION Qualtrics - a 3 rd party company used to solicit the survey Uses an online sample process from traditional, actively managed market research panels and social media Leverages partner s routers, digital fingerprints, randomized-prevent bias Uses forced response, targeted questions for audience selection and attention grabbers to ensure valid responses Incentives are $1.25 to each respondent Informed consent required
METHODOLOGY: PROCEDURES FOR INSTRUMENTS, CONTROL VARIABLES & DATA COLLECTION Qualtrics & its panels will be required to adhere to all state, regional, & federal laws. They are members of ESOMAR, CASRO and other national organizations. They will require informed consent prior to the respondent beginning the survey. They will incorporate strict confidentiality tools into the surveys by disabling screenshots and circumventing the saving of images, video, or audio files. Database and data centers will not hold sensitive or confidential panelist information. Restricted authorization and equipment security enforced, monitored and controlled. All information will be secured via industry standard firewalls and stringent IT security policies & procedures. The Institutional Review Board will evaluate these factors for approval prior the study.
METHODOLOGY: PROCEDURES FOR INSTRUMENTS, CONTROL VARIABLES & DATA COLLECTION Sample size rules for PLS-SEM and SmartPLS software: Significance level of 5%, a statistical power of 80%, and R2 values of at least 0.25 (Wong, 2013) Minimum sample size Marcoulides & Saunders (2006) maximum number of arrows pointing at a latent variable (3 for attitude) is 59 samples Costellow & Osborne (2005) suggest 20 subjects per variable (120=6 variables times 20) Chin (1998) suggests 10 times the largest number of paths from independent variables going into a dependent variable (30=3 times 10) Hoyle (1995) suggests 100 to 200 Larger the sample the stronger the results; 350+ samples
DATA ANALYSIS Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares 1. Reliability / Validity assessment for the Measurement Model 2. Structural Model Analysis / Hypotheses testing SmartPLS is used for Quantitative analysis Reliability and validity during CFA Bootstrap (this study will use 5000 samples for bootstrap) Subsamples created with randomly drawn observations from the original set of data (with replacement) and estimates the path model. High levels of statistical power even when dealing with complex models and small sample sizes Researcher is familiar with this program
DATA ANALYSIS (MEASUREMENT MODEL) Measurement Model PLS-SEM test reliability / validity of Virtual World Consumer Behavior scales (Virtual World User s Skill, Virtual World User s Challenge Level, Desire for Uniqueness, Virtual World Shopping Attitude, Virtual World Shopping Subjective Norms and Intentions to Purchase Virtual World Products) using AVEs, composite reliability and latent variable correlations. PLS-SEM tests reliability of indicators and internal consistency by analyzing outer loadings and reliability statistics (composite). Discriminate validity of indicators with cross loadings. Loadings higher than cross loadings or remove. PLS-SEM provides CFA statistics to ensure convergent validity each item must exceed the minimum loading criterion of 0.7, Hair et al. (2006), or removed from scale. Scale composite totals must be equal or greater 0.7 (Sarkar, Echambadi, Cavusgil & Aulakh, 2001) and AVEs above 0.5 (Fornell & Larcker, 1981) or a new scale is sought.
DATA ANALYSIS (STRUCTURAL MODEL) Structural Model Assessment Path Coefficients, T statistics and significance for the links. R squared values for all endogenous variables to depict how much of the variance is explained from the exogenous latent variables. 0.75 + substantial; moderate 0.75-0.25; weak < 0.25 32
LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH Virtual Worlds are new and changing Bias from online solicitation Audience is 18 years / New York / English One collection Does not test / prove casualty Full / clear instructions to prevent some bias Qualtircs implements figure printing & undesired response behaviors Continue building from this research
IMPLICATIONS OF THE RESEARCH First Virtual World Consumer Behavior Model Leads future studies (Information System research) Identify areas to target sales, prioritize, develop system components Determine how businesses can make profits Desire for uniqueness Designers can fashion their games Marketing and advertising for businesses emphasize unique concept Business look for ways to maximize uniqueness in products First to link Flow components with Virtual World consumer behavior Link system skill to a shopping attitude rather than a system skill to a system attitude- apply similar techniques Researchers can integrate results to behavioral studies to exploit ways to breakdown the factors associated with Virtual World users.
QUESTIONS Mine The So What-how to make someone care Trade off- worldwide vs small location How much scale modification is too much Yours???