AUTHOR=Jia Xiaoyun , Pang Yan , Huang Bingqi , Hou Feng TITLE=Understanding consumers’ continuance intention to watch streams: A value-based continuance intention model JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology VOLUME=14 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1073301 DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1073301 ISSN=1664-1078 ABSTRACT=Introduction

Live stream-watching has become increasingly popular worldwide. Consumers are found to watch streams in a continuous manner. Despite its popularity, there has been limited research investigating why consumers continue to watch streams. Previously, the expectation-confirmation theory (ECT) has been widely adopted to explain users’ continuance intention. However, most current ECT-based models are theoretically incomplete, since they only consider the importance of perceived benefits without considering users’ costs and sacrifices. In this paper, we propose a value-based continuance intention model (called V-ECM), and use it to investigate factors influencing consumers’ continuance intention to watch streams.

Methods

Our hypotheses were tested using an online survey of 1,220 consumers with continuance stream-watching experiences.

Results

Results indicate that perceived value, a process of an overall assessment between users’ perceived benefits and perceived sacrifices, is proved to be a better variable than perceived benefits in determining consumers’ continuance watching intention. Also, compared with other ECT-based models, V-ECM is a more comprehensive model to explain and predict consumers’ continuance intention.

Discussion

V-ECM theoretically extends ECT-based studies, and it has potential to explain and predict other continuance intentions in online or technology-related contexts. In addition, this paper also discusses practical implications for live streaming platforms with regards to their design, functions and marketing.