The Effect of Social Comparison on the In-App Purchase Intention in Mobile Games

• Main Authors: CHENG, YU-SHAN, 鄭宇珊
• Other Authors: WANG, CHUNG-KWEI
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/9y2442

碩士 === 東吳大學 === 心理學系 === 105 === Based on social comparison theory, this study is aimed to examine the influence of social comparison on the willingness to further participate in the mobile game and buying of in-app products. Several hypotheses were examined by experimental research. (1) Whether an interaction effect of social comparison and the importance of the mobile game for self would influence state self-esteem? (2) Whether an interaction effect of social comparison and the importance of the mobile game for self would influence the willingness to participate in the mobile game and the in-app purchase intention (bonus items / game character)? (c) Whether state self-esteem influences the willingness to participate in the mobile game and the in-app purchase intention? Researcher recruited 60 Taiwanese college students to play Tsum Tsum game. Participants received social comparison information via faked scores. The result summarized below. (1) In comparison with downward comparison group, upward comparison group had lower state self-esteem. (2) After controlling effect of gender, the social comparison information influenced the willingness to participate in the mobile game. (3) The social comparison information influence in-app purchase intention, upward comparison group tend to buy bonus items while downward comparison group tend to buy game character, and there is an interaction effect of social comparison and the importance of the mobile game for self on purchase intention. (4) The state self-esteem was positively related to the willingness to participate in the mobile game, but not related to bonus items purchase intention.