Effect of achievement-related gamification on brand attachment

PurposeThis research draws on self-determination theory and self-construal theory to investigate the effects of achievement-related gamification features on customers' brand attachment in online brand communities.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data (N = 523) were collected from customers of typical gamified online brand communities. The research model was examined with structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 3.2.FindingsAchievement-related gamification features positively affect customers' brand attachment via the intrinsic motives of autonomy, competence and relatedness, but not extrinsic motives. Relatedness motive exerts the strongest mediating effect between achievement-related gamification features and brand attachment, followed by competence and autonomy. Moreover, interdependent self-construal positively moderates the effects of achievement-related gamification features on intrinsic (autonomy, competence and relatedness) and extrinsic motives.Originality/valueTheoretically, this study contributes to the brand marketing literature by identifying gamification as a new antecedent for brand attachment. It also contributes to the gamification literature by demonstrating that achievement-related gamification features strengthen brand attachment via intrinsic motives but not extrinsic motives in the specific context of the online brand community. Meanwhile, the relatedness motive exerts the strongest mediating effect between achievement-related gamification features and brand attachment, followed by competence and autonomy. Moreover, this research provides the first empirical evidence that interdependent self-construal moderates the effects of achievement-related gamification features on intrinsic and extrinsic motives. Practically, managers can learn from the results that achievement-related gamification features should be designed to foster customers' intrinsic motives and brand attachment, especially those high in interdependent self-construal levels.

A Cross-Sectional Study of University Nursing Students Construal Level and Core Values in Learning English as Foreign Language in Taiwan

Professional nursing core values are important for nursing education and clinical practice. Among the core values, communication is a crucial one, and learning languages is especially beneficial to this skill. However, core values in learning a language are rarely discussed in the field. This study attempts to explore the core values perceived by university nursing students when learning English as a foreign language. A cross-sectional survey of students’ construal levels and perceptions of their core values was designed. Two instruments of Behavior Identification Form and English Learning Construal Scale were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were conducted to analyze quantitative and qualitative data respectively. In total, 200 participants were randomly recruited from a nursing university in Taiwan. The results show the BIF (M = 15.02; SD = 4.02) corresponded to the previous research, although the scores implied an improvement opportunity. Four themes—career development, university studies, self-responsibly, and personal well-beings—were illustrated, and 13 codes of core values of learning English were further categorized. An alternative perspective of high vs. low construal levels was suggested to view the professional core values. Teaching implications were then discussed.

Effects of Personal Construal Levels and Team Role Ambiguity on the Group Investigation of Junior High School Students’ Programming Ability

Concerns regarding the high demand for skilled personnel in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields underline the importance of developing advanced information technology (IT) and programming skills among job candidates. In the past 10 years, computer programming has regained considerable attention because of rapid developments in computer programming technology. Advocates claim that computer programming cultivates other skills, including problem solving, logical thinking, and creativity. Education systems worldwide are developing courses to instruct students in programming and computational thinking. Although the importance of computer programming has been widely recognized, the systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching methods and conditions that promote the learning of programming knowledge and skills has received little scholarly attention. This study thus investigated the moderating roles of learners’ construal levels and their team role ambiguity in the context of group investigation in junior high school programing courses. In this study, junior high school students were divided into pairs to develop Arduino projects. Students applied programming abilities to complete a task involving the use of Arduino boards to simulate the operation of traffic lights. Major research findings indicate that construal levels play a significant role in moderating the relationship between programming ability and learning outcome; however, role ambiguity does not significantly affect this relationship. Theoretical implications are discussed, and managerial implications are suggested.

A construal-level approach to hedonic and utilitarian shopping orientation

Several studies in consumer behavior have focused on consumers’ shopping orientation in terms of hedonic and utilitarian shopping. The present research advances a different perspective examining hedonic and utilitarian shopping orientations with the theoretical lenses of construal-level theory. Results from two studies indicate that hedonism relates to higher and utilitarianism to lower construal levels (Study 1). Consequently, individuals tend to prefer desirability-related options when shopping hedonically, and feasibility-related options when shopping in a utilitarian way (Study 2). The findings further show a moderating effect of construal level on the relationship between shopping orientation and choice, consistent with construal-level theory.

The Matching Effect Between Coping Strategies and Construal Levels in Cause Marketing Communications

Given that the COVID-19 pandemic has had dramatic impact on consumer attitudes toward cause marketing communications, this study addresses the problem of how psychological stress influences consumers’ prosocial behavior. Despite research suggesting that many aspects of consumer behavior may be understood in the context of consumer efforts to handle stress, cause marketing literature has not examined the role of stress and coping-based matching. Consequently, the aim of this study is to provide evidence that a match between individuals’ coping and construal levels in advertisements drives greater persuasion. This study further addresses the mindset congruency effects on consumers’ prosocial behavior occurs through response efficacy. Understanding how psychological stress influences consumers’ prosocial behavior would help advertisers understand how they can encourage consumers to cope with specific types of stress by presenting them with more effective cause marketing campaign messages, resulting in purchasing products associated with social cause.

The matching effect of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging on product attitude

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the construal congruence of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging and its underlying mechanism on consumers' product attitude.Design/methodology/approachFour experimental studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. Study 1 investigated the framing effect of anthropomorphized brand roles (servant vs partner) in consumers' minds. Study 2 examined the matching effect of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging on product attitude. 132 students were randomly assigned to a 2 (anthropomorphized roles: servant vs partner) × 2 (product messaging: higher-level construal vs lower-level construal) between-subject factorial design. Study 3 tested the mediation effect of processing fluency underlying the construal congruence mechanism. Study 4 replicated the results of study 3 and further examined the boundary conditions by introducing product innovation locus as a moderator. A total of 218 students were randomly assigned to a 2 (anthropomorphized role: servant vs partner) × 2 (product messaging: higher-level construal vs lower-level construal) × 2 (innovation locus: core innovation vs peripheral locus) between-subjects design experiment.FindingsThe results demonstrate that a construal match between product messaging and anthropomorphized brand roles –anthropomorphized “servant” with higher-level construal messaging and anthropomorphized “partner” with lower-level construal messaging – can positively influence consumers' attitude via enhanced processing fluency. Furthermore, this construal matching effect on product attitude is moderated by the innovation locus of the product.Practical implicationsThis study reveals that anthropomorphized brand roles with compatible product messaging in the associated construal levels lead to more favorable product attitudes. Furthermore, the matching effect of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging is stronger for products with peripheral innovation than with core innovation.Originality/valueOur study contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it provides new insights into the construal matching effect of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging. Second, it investigates the boundary conditions of the above-mentioned construal fit mechanism.