How does gender swapping impact online gamer loyalty? The perspective of interdependence theory
ISSN: 1468-4527
Article publication date: 15 August 2018
Issue publication date: 21 August 2018
Abstract
Purpose
Gender swapping – when gamers choose avatars of the opposite gender to their own – is a common feature of online gaming behavior, and recent studies have explored the reasons for it. However, no study has yet examined the role gender swapping plays in determining gamers’ continual engagement with communication via online games, i.e., online gamer loyalty. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine this issue and develop hypotheses based on interdependence theory in the online gaming context.
Design/methodology/approach
Responses from a survey of 255 online gamers were used for the analysis.
Findings
Analytical results using structural equation modeling indicate that gender-swapping behavior is negatively related to social intelligence, which in turn is negatively related to network convergence (the extent of sharing a common social circle), thus contributing to relational switching costs and online gamer loyalty.
Originality/value
This study is the first to examine how gender swapping affects online gamer loyalty.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 103-2410-H-182-011-MY3) and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (BMRP644) for financial support.
Citation
Tseng, F.-C., Chang, C.-T., Lee, H.-C. and Teng, C.-I. (2018), "How does gender swapping impact online gamer loyalty? The perspective of interdependence theory", Online Information Review, Vol. 42 No. 5, pp. 647-662. https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-08-2016-0230
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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