Work

Play to Participate: Effects of Gamification Affordances on Consumer Participation in Livestreaming Commerce

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Despite the ubiquitous application of gamification in livestreaming commerce, the mechanisms driving its impact on consumer participation remain underexplored. To address this research gap, this study integrated two theoretical frameworks: the “Gamification Affordances–Psychological Outcomes–Behavioral Outcomes” framework and the Uses and Gratifications Theory. We investigated how gamification affordances (achievement visualization, rewards, interaction, and competition) relate to the fulfillment of consumers’ diverse psychological needs (cognitive, affective, social, personal integrative, and social integrative). Furthermore, we examined whether meeting these psychological needs influences consumers’ intentions to continue watching and to purchase. We surveyed 354 livestreaming commerce consumers and employed structural equation modeling to analyze the data. The findings revealed that gamification affordances can motivate consumers’ continuous watching and purchasing behavior by satisfying their different psychological needs. We conclude by discussing the theoretical and managerial implications of our findings.

Source: Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research

DOI: 10.3390/jtaer20020084

Authors: Congcong Yang, Yuanyue Feng, Xiaona Li, Ben Niu

Institutions: Dongguan University of Technology, Shenzhen University

Language: English

Topic: Educational Games and Gamification

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shenzhen University, Jilin Office of Philosophy and Social Science, Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province