The effect of consumer-perceived COVID-19 ad value on health-protective behavior: Mediating role of engagement.

Though the pandemic has passed, social media-based messaging continues to exhibit COVID-19-related cues (e.g., wearing a face mask to stay safe), continuing to foster consumers' health-protective behavior. However, it remains unclear how social media communications (e.g., advertising) affect such behavior, exposing an important literature-based gap. Addressing this gap, we deploy Ducoffe's advertising value model to examine how pandemic-related advertisements (e.g., those urging consumers to stay safe, including post-the pandemic) impact their health-protective behavior. We also examine how consumer engagement (CE) mediates these associations. To explore these issues, we collected data from a sample of 301 Gen Z consumers, which was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). We find that informative, credible, irritating, and obtrusive ads raise consumer engagement and health-protective behavior. Engagement was also found to strengthen these associations, revealing their strategic value. We conclude by outlining important theoretical and practical implications that arise from our analyses.

Interpreting the impact of extraversion and neuroticism on social media addiction among university students of Pakistan: A mediated and moderated model.

This study aims to investigate the association between two important personality traits (extraversion and neuroticism) and social media addiction (SMA) through social media usage (SMU) while considering the important moderating role of life satisfaction. We collected data from 623 university students in Pakistan through an electronic survey. SmartPLS software was utilized to perform partial least squares - structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analyses to verify our proposed model. The results revealed a significant direct association between extraversion and social media addiction whereas social media usage partially mediates this relationship. However, the direct relationship between neuroticism and social media addiction was not found significant but was fully mediated by social media usage. In addition, life satisfaction revealed no moderating effect on the relationship between extraversion, neuroticism, and social media addiction. Our results contribute to the prior studies that intensity of using social media for whatever purpose leads to social media addiction; life satisfaction does not play any role in social media addiction. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

The effect of three violent videogame engagement states on aggressive behavior: A partial least squares structural equation modeling approach.

Debate on violent games and their effect on aggressive behavior remains inconclusive. This study aims to study the predicting role of cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement states in violent videogames on aggressive behavior, which remains nebulous to date. We visited gaming zones and administered the study survey to collect data from violent videogame users. We collected 208 valid responses that were further analyzed. The present study used SmartPLS (3.3.3) software to perform partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis in two stages. In the first stage, the measurement model assessment reported that cognitive, affective, behavioral, and aggressive behavior proved to be reliable reflective-formative composite constructs. Whereas, the second phase illustrated that cognitive engagement in violent videogames fails to impact aggressive behavior. The other two engagement states (affective and behavioral) in violent games showed a positive impact on aggressive behavior. Our study contributes to aggressive behavior literature by understanding how violent videogame engagement states impact aggressive behavior, which is crucial to recognize aggression so that steps can be taken toward addressing it. This study also contributes methodologically by utilizing the hierarchical component model (HCM) approach to estimate, specify, and validate the hierarchical structure of higher-order constructs (i.e., consumer violent videogame engagement dimensions (cognitive, affective, and behavioral) and aggressive behavior) as reflective-formative composite models.

Investigating male gamers' behavioral intention to play PUBG: Insights from playful-consumption experiences.

This research investigates the factors that affect male gamers' behavioral intention to play PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), which is one of the most widely played online games of today's era. We examine the factors through the lens of the hedonic consumption model (i.e., playful-consumption experiences) and use the gratification theory to predict behavioral intention to play PUBG. Data from 248 male PUBG gamers were analyzed using PLS-SEM analyses. The study involved an initial stage where an estimation model (i.e., measurement model) was analyzed to assess the constructs' reliability and validity. Following this, the second stage involved assessing the theoretical model to test the relationship between the principle constructs. The study found that playful-consumption experience factors, such as escapism, emotional involvement, sensory experience, enjoyment, and arousal, significantly influenced the behavioral intentions to play PUBG. The research findings further indicate that role-projection and fantasy failed to impact consumers' intention to play PUBG. This study provides both theoretical and practical implications. It fills the literature gap by focusing on predicting the behavioral intention to play PUBG through the playful-consumption experiences of a popular online multiplayer game. Practically, this study could potentially open avenues for gaming companies to address how different playful-consumption experiences impact game users' behavioral intentions.

Predicting Video Game Addiction Through the Dimensions of Consumer Video Game Engagement: Quantitative and Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Video games are expanding exponentially with their increased popularity among users. However, this popularity has also led to an increase in reported video game addiction. There may be consumer engagement-related factors that may influence video game addiction. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to empirically examine the impact of the dimensions of consumer video game engagement on video game addiction. The dimensions are dedication, absorption, conscious attention, social connection, enthusiasm, and interaction. We utilize the uses and gratifications theory to study the video game engagement dimensions as potential factors through which gamers feel gratified and engaged in video game playing. Additionally, this study incorporates the cultivation theory to investigate how video game engagement factors trigger video game addiction. METHODS: A two-step process was applied for data analysis on valid cases of 176 gamers aged 15-25 years: video game addiction was specified and validated as a reflective-formative construct, and hypothesis testing was later performed using the WarpPLS on valid respondents. RESULTS: The analysis uncovered 2 dimensions of video game engagement: social connection with P=.08 and interaction with P=.49, which did not significantly contribute to video game addiction. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers unique insights to a myriad of stakeholders, mostly psychologists and psychiatrists, who routinely prescribe behavior modification techniques to treat video game addiction.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Problematic Smartphone Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Bangladeshi Study.

BACKGROUND: Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has been increasing hastily in recent decades, and it has become inseparable during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among the students who are at risk of problematic smartphone use. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of PSU during the COVID-19 pandemic among the Bangladeshi students. METHODS: A total of 601 Bangladeshi students were recruited through an online-based cross-sectional survey that was conducted between October 7 and November 2, 2020. The survey collected information related to socio-demographics, behavioral health, internet use behaviors, depression, anxiety, and PSU. Independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were performed to present the relationship between the studied variables and PSU. Multiple linear regression analysis was also used for investigating the explanatory power of the predictive models for PSU. RESULTS: Surprisingly, about 86.9% of the students scored to be problematic smartphone users (≥21 out of a total 36 based on the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale). In addition, medical students, engaging in a relationship, performing less physical activity, longer duration of internet use, some sorts of internet use purpose (eg, messaging, watching videos, using social media), depression, and anxiety were significantly associated with higher scores of PSU. After adjusting all the studied variables, the final model explained a 31.3% variance predicting PSU. CONCLUSION: The present study is one of the first approaches to assess the prevalence of PSU among the Bangladeshi students during the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas the addiction level was superfluous (and this may be due to more online engagement related to the pandemic). Thus, the study recommended strategies or policies related to the students' risk-reducing and healthy use of smartphones.