6th Business & Management Conference, Geneva

APPLYING THE COGNITIVE-AFFECTIVE MODEL TO EXPLAIN USERS’ CONTINUANCE INTENTION IN A GAMIFICATION CONTEXT

CHIA-LIN HSU

Abstract:

Nowadays, a decrease in website stickiness due to close competition in the online marketplace has driven businesses to change. Gamification generates much value for manager since it encourages the user through entertainment and through intelligent marketing messages. This study investigates how gamification improves users’ continuance intention. In particular, this study applies the cognitive-affective model to explain users’ continuance intention in a gamification context. More precisely, this study adopts a cognitive-affective lens to explain the effects of perceived dimensions of value on a user’s continuance intention with a website in general. Regarding the cognitive or utilitarian dimension, this study centers on the perceived effectiveness and efficiency of a website. Furthermore, regarding the affective dimension, this study uses perceived playfulness. Through combining cognitive and affective dimensions, this study provides a more comprehensive explanation of a user’s continuance intention and sheds light on the relative importance of each of these two dimensions. These insights are not only important for researchers interested in the relative significance and interdependence of cognitive and affective explanations of a user’s continuance intention, but also for designers confronted with the challenge of developing websites that are both cognitively and affectively satisfying. This study uses structural equation modeling (SEM), through LISREL to test the causal relationships among utilitarian value (effectiveness and efficiency), hedonic value (playfulness), cognitive-based attitude, affective-based attitude, and continuance intention in a gamification context. In addition, this study uses Fitocracy as the subject, and then conducts a web-based questionnaire that targets individuals aged 20 and above in Taiwan. Convenient sampling is conducted to obtain valid responses for the testing of our hypotheses. The empirical results confirm that the impacts of utilitarian value (effectiveness and efficiency) and hedonic value (playfulness) on cognitive-based attitude and affective-based attitude, and in turn, influence continuance intention. This study contributes to help retailers through combining cognitive and affective dimensions to learn how they can improve users’ continuance intention and understand how cognitive-based attitude and affective-based attitude are important factors. In summary, the findings of this study help retailers improve their customer perception of utilitarian value (effectiveness and efficiency) and hedonic value (playfulness) more effectively, as well as guide research and development (R&D) using gamification to promote competitive advantage, thereby increasing sales and profitability.

Keywords: Gamification, Cognitive-affective model, Continuance intention, Structural equation modeling

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