Identifying Factors Affecting the Motivation of Games Users in Social Networks and their Impact on the User Attitude and Shopping Intention

The present study aims to identify factors affecting the motivation of game users in social networks and their effect on user attitude and purchase intention. After reviewing previous research, localization, timeliness, visual appeal, and social image were identified as factors affecting external motivation. Also, perceived ease, personalization, and perceived pleasure as factors affecting intrinsic motivation. The statistical population of the study includes users of social networks who use the services of these networks. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. The content validity of the questionnaire items was confirmed by professors and experts in the field of game and user behavior, and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. According to the results, it was found that all the identified factors have a significant positive effect on the users’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and on their attitude toward social network service games and purchase intention.

With the development of social network service games (SNS) in virtual environments, users tend to compare themselves with others with the help of virtual and physical goods and create the image they want during their online activities. For example, social network services WeChat and QQ have been successful in selling virtual and non-virtual goods, including decorations, accessories, currency, etc. Other social networks such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Tobacco are also testing the sale of virtual goods in SNS games and trying to find ways to reduce user costs. In order to understand the causes of motivation and increasing sales of virtual goods, researchers have been looking for factors influencing the behavior of users in buying these goods. Regarding one of the dimensions that remains unknown, previous studies have not been able to explain how to motivate users of social networks and shape their attitudes and purchase intentions on social networks. The current study aims to identify factors affecting the motivation of game users in social networks and their effect on user attitude and purchase intention.

To collect data and test research hypotheses, a questionnaire with 38 questions was designed with a five-point Likert scale (1 = completely disagree to 5 = completely agree). The statistical population of the research includes users who use websites and social networks such as Raptor, Playfire, Reddit, Discord, and Twitch. Due to the spread and wideness of the population, sampling was done by the cluster random method. Each of the social networks was considered a cluster and people were randomly selected in these networks. The minimum sample size based on the rule of Klein (2012) was considered to be 150 samples. To be careful, questionnaires were distributed among 200 users of websites and social networks. Then, 154 analyzable questionnaires were finally collected by discarding distorted questionnaires. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and SPSS 20 and PLS software were used to analyze the data and test the research hypotheses.

The validity and reliability of research variables were confirmed. According to the results, all research hypotheses have been confirmed. In this way, the first hypothesis, that is, the effect of localization on extrinsic motivation (β=0.411) and personalization (β=0.459) was confirmed at the 95% confidence level. The effect of timeliness (β=0.512) and social image on extrinsic motivation (β=0.469) was also confirmed. There are no reasons to reject the effect of visual appeal (β=0.482), ease of use (β=0.459), and perceived pleasure (β=0.051) on intrinsic motivation. The effect of extrinsic motivation on the attitude towards the service game (β=0.658) and intrinsic motivation on the attitude (β=0.613) and finally the effect of the attitude towards the service game on the intention to buy (β=0.816) are also well confirmed. It shows a significant effect and a strong relationship between these two variables. It can be concluded that attitude leads to behavioral tendencies such as the tendency to buy in users.

The results of this research showed that consumers of games services in social networks have extrinsic and intrinsic motivations that lead to attitude and intention to buy. Also, we stated there are several variables that have effects on intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Extrinsic and intrinsic motivations are the factors influencing the formation of users' attitudes toward virtual goods. Managers and policymakers should recognize the potential of using social network services and study and identify the dimensions of motivation for preparing security and communication protocols for users and formulate appropriate policies. Managers and policymakers in the matter of social networks should note that apart from creating entertainment in social networks, these media can be used to educate users in general and specialized fields such as energy consumption. It also seems that with the increasing popularity and use of virtual money and goods, the formulation and implementation of financial and ethical regulations in the field of buying and selling physical and virtual products in social networks through service games should be included in the programs of managers and policymakers.