Acceptance of the virtual item auctioning system in online games: The role of intrinsic motivation,extrinsic motivation,and trust

The virtual item auctioning system (VIAS) has economic potential as millions of online players trade their virtual items in an auction‐based environment. However, little empirical research has been conducted about understanding the factors affecting the decision to use the VIAS in online games. To address this gap, the current study uses the technology acceptance model (TAM) to explore the effects of extrinsic motivation‐perceived usefulness, intrinsic motivation‐flow, and trust on the decision to use the VIAS in online games. Three hundred and twenty‐eight surveys were gathered from the users of VIAS in online games. The research model was tested with the structural equation modeling technique, using AMOS 20. The results showed that intrinsic motivation is more important than extrinsic motivation in explaining the use of the VIAS. Furthermore, trust is a strong predictor of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. We conclude the study with the discussion of the findings, managerial implications, and suggestions for future research. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Satisfaction with virtual worlds: An integrated model of experiential value

Although virtual worlds increasingly attract users today, few studies have addressed what satisfies virtual world users. We therefore defined and tested an integrated model of experiential system value and virtual world satisfaction. Drawing upon expectancy-value and cognitive evaluation theories, four important facets of experiential system value were hypothesized as determinants of virtual world satisfaction. Structural equation modeling was employed on a sample of 567 users of the virtual world Second Life. Direct and indirect effects were tested and are reported. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

The roles of intrinsic motivators and extrinsic motivators in promoting e-learning in the workplace: A case from South Korea

Acceptance of e-learning by employees is critical to the successful implementation of e-learning in the workplace. To explain why employees might accept the e-learning technology, motivational factors must be considered. Although the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) has identified many variables to understand employees’ motivation to use e-learning, current literature cannot conclude the roles of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators in the technology adoption process. Consequently, organizations often overestimate the effects of extrinsic motivators in promoting e-learning while ignoring employees’ intrinsic motivation. To examine the effect difference between the two motivational factors, this study surveyed 261 employees in a food service company in South Korea with the UTAUT instrument. Upon analyzing 226 valid cases with LISREL, the findings revealed that intrinsic motivators (effort expectancy, attitudes, and anxiety) affected employees’ intention to use e-learning in the workplace more strongly than did the extrinsic motivators (performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions). Furthermore, the effects of intrinsic motivators mediated the effect of extrinsic motivators. Implications of this study are important for both researchers and practitioners.     

Computer and Smartphone Continuance Intention: A Motivational Model

This paper develops and tests a motivational model to explain the overall continuance intention to use computers and smartphones. Based on survey data from 192 undergraduate students, structural equation modeling analysis is used to report: (1) the independent effect of intrinsic motivation on the continuance intention to use computers and smartphones; (2) the independent effect of extrinsic motivation on the continuance intention to use computers but not smartphones; (3) intrinsic motivation mediating the effect of extrinsic motivation on the continuance intention to use computers; (4) the independent effect of technology cognizance on the continuance intention to use computers but not smartphones; (5) intrinsic motivation positively influencing extrinsic motivation and technology cognizance, with respect to both devices. This research contributes to an improved understanding of the independent and interrelated effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to use technological devices. The findings have important implications for theory and practice regarding the overall use of technology.     

Sustaining iterative game playing processes in DGBL: The relationship between motivational processing and outcome processing

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) has become a viable instructional option in recent years due to its support of learning motivation. Recent studies have mostly focused on identifying motivational factors in digital games (e.g., curiosity, rules, control) that support intrinsic motivation. These findings, however, are limited in two fronts. First, they did not depict the interactive nature of the motivational processing in DGBL. Second, they excluded the outcome processing (learners’ final effort versus performance evaluation) as a possible motivation component to sustain the iterative game playing cycle. To address these problems, situated in the integrative theory of Motivation, Volition, and Performance (MVP), this study examined the relationship between motivational processing and outcome processing in an online instructional game. The study surveyed 264 undergraduate students after playing the Trade Ruler online game. Based on the data collected by ARCS-based Instructional Materials Motivational Survey (IMMS), a regression analysis revealed a significant model between motivational processing (attention, relevance, and confidence) and the outcome processing (satisfaction). The finding preliminarily suggests that both motivational processing and outcome processing need to be considered when designing DGBL. Furthermore, the finding implies a potential relationship between intrinsic motives and extrinsic rewards in DGBL.     

Nonlinear technology: Changing the conception of extrinsic motivation?

Think-aloud and self-report data from 84 undergraduates were used to examine the relationship between intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and use of self-regulated learning (SRL) processes. Participants individually learned about the circulatory system with a hypermedia environment for 30 min. During this experimental session, three measures were used to examine the research questions guiding the study. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire that measured their extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. They also completed a pretest and posttest, which assessed learning outcomes. Lastly, think-aloud data were collected to determine the frequency in which participants used SRL process related to planning, monitoring, and strategy use. Results indicate that participants who had high extrinsic and high intrinsic motivation used significantly more planning and monitoring processes when compared to participants who had lower motivation scores for either the extrinsic or intrinsic category. Additionally, participants who had high extrinsic and high intrinsic motivation significantly outperformed those who had low extrinsic and low intrinsic motivation.     

Social virtual world continuance among teens: uncovering the moderating role of perceived aggregate network exposure

Engagement in virtual worlds has become pervasive, particularly among the young. At the same time, the number of virtual environments has increased rapidly. Due to intensifying competition, promoting sustained usage, i.e. continuance, has become a top priority for virtual world operators. Prior research has shown that network externalities play a key role in the adoption of communication technologies. However, a small amount of research has examined the role of network externalities in continued IT usage in general or with respect to the virtual world participation in particular. To fill in this gap, we examine how perceived network externalities affect the continuance of social virtual worlds. To this end, we introduce the concept of perceived aggregate network exposure (PANE). We extend the original information systems (IS) continuance model with perceived enjoyment and position PANE as a moderator. We test the model with data collected from 2134 Finnish Habbo Hotel users and employ structural equation modelling in the analysis. The results demonstrate that PANE moderates the influence of motivational factors on continued use intention and satisfaction.     

Determinants of consumers’ attitudes toward mobile advertising: The mediating roles of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations

Mobile advertising is booming, due to the popularity of mobile devices. Drawing on motivation theory, this study examines the factors that influence consumers’ attitudes toward mobile advertising. The authors identify timeliness, localization, and personalization of the advertisement message as antecedents of extrinsic motivation, as well as consumer innovativeness and perceived enjoyment as antecedents of intrinsic motivation. Using structural equation modeling, the study analyzes the conceptual model with a sample of 218 mobile phone users. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations mediate the effects of the advertising message’s characteristics on mobile phone users’ attitudes toward mobile advertising.     

Cyber neutralisation and flaming

Individuals are increasingly subjected to flaming or negative behaviours as society becomes digitally adept. Existing research on flaming is largely fragmented and insufficient to understand what induces individuals to engage in flaming actions online. Neutralisation theory, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and motivational theory are integrated to develop a theoretical model to better understand flaming in virtual communities. A large-scale online questionnaire targeting individuals who had experience with flaming in a virtual community was employed to analyse the research model. The results indicate that neutralisation techniques acceptability, enjoyment, subjective norms, and low self-control significantly influence flaming. Enjoyment, low moral beliefs, subjective norms, and low self-control influence neutralisation techniques acceptability, or efforts made by individuals to rationalise their deviant behaviour. Neutralisation techniques acceptability is highly correlated with flaming in virtual communities, which has not previously been examined. Intrinsic motivation or enjoyment influences flaming, which is important because neutralisation theory and the TPB do not account for motivation. Virtual communities have a tremendous amount of influence towards an individual's rationalisation of and repeated engagement in flaming. The government, Internet service providers, the media, virtual communities, and Internet activists have an opportunity to define appropriate online behavioural standards that diminish the prevalence of flaming.     

The role of academic motivation in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

In recent years, increasing attention has been devoted to virtual learning. In the last decade, a large number of studies in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) have assessed how social interaction, learning processes and outcomes in virtual settings are intertwined. Although recent research findings indicate that learners differ with respect to the amount and type of discourse contributed in virtual settings, little is known about the causes of these differences. The research presented here looks into the effects of motivation of learners on their contribution to discourse using the Deci and Ryan framework of (intrinsic/extrinsic) motivation.This study of 100 participants who were randomly distributed in six groups of 14 members collaborated in a virtual setting to remediate deficiencies in economics indicates that individuals differed with respect to the amount of discourse activity. Furthermore, an integrated multi-method approach (Content Analysis, Social Network Analysis and Academic Motivation Scale) was used in order to examine the impact of academic motivation on the type of discourse activity contributed and on the position of the learner in the social network. The results indicate that highly intrinsically motivated learners become central and prominent contributors to cognitive discourse. In contrast, extrinsically motivated learners contribute on average and are positioned throughout the social network. The research results reveal that differences in academic motivation influences the type of contributions to discourse as well as the position a learner takes within the social network.     

Exploring the determinants of IS developers’ behavioural intention to learn business skills

While previous research has emphasised the importance of business skills for information systems (IS) developers in the process of IS development, few studies have investigated the determinants of IS developers’ behavioural intention to learn business skills. The current study explores the factors affecting IS developers’ intention to learn business skills based on previous theories and research. Data collected from 258 valid respondents are tested against the research model using the partial least-squares approach. The results indicate that both job involvement and career insight have significant positive effects on extrinsic and intrinsic motivations for learning business skills. Additionally, learning self-efficacy is not only found to have a significant influence on learning intention, but is also found to have a moderating effect on the positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and learning intention. The findings of this study provide several important theoretical and practical implications for IS developers’ behaviour of learning business skills.     

The effects of an intrinsically motivating instructional environment on software learning and acceptance

Abstract The most important goal of computer software training and interface design has been to help users learn and use software effectively. While research has provided useful information about how to achieve this outcome, it appears to have overlooked the contribution that ‘fun’ and ‘motivation’ can add to learning. This study develops and tests a model of the relationship between intrinsically motivating software instruction and two outcome variables — learning performance and perceived ease of software use. The researchers manipulated two design variables to create learning environments that were either high or low in intrinsic motivation. One variable, the computer interface, consisted of either a direct manipulation interface (the Macintosh Finder), defined as being high in intrinsic motivation, or a command-based interface (disk operating system — DOS), which was less motivating. The second design variable, training method, also consisted of two categories — exploration training (more motivating) and instruction-based training (less motivating). Additionally, the study evaluated the motivational impact of one individual characteristic — cognitive spontaneity. Results of a laboratory experiment indicated that subjects using the direct manipulation interface found the learning experience more intrinsically motivating and performed better in hands-on computer tasks than in command-based subjects. Also, subjects who were high in cognitive spontaneity were more likely to report the learning experience as intrinsically motivating. Learners who reported high levels of intrinsic motivation performed better in hands-on tasks than those who did not, and perceived the software as easier to use. Exploration training, however, failed to exhibit a positive relationship to intrinsic motivation. These results suggest that an intrinsically motivating instructional environment can lead to improved software learning and performance. This is explained in terms of four key dimensions spanning multiple theories of intrinsic motivation: challenge, curiosity, control and fantasy.     

Motivation crowding in online product reviewing: A qualitative study of amazon reviewers

This research explores online reviewers’ motivations and how different motives interact with one another. Through in-depth interviews with Amazon reviewers and a six-month observation of the reviewers’ forums, the study found that extrinsic motivation may crowd out or crowd in intrinsic motivation in different scenarios. If a reviewer becomes driven mostly by status recognition and reciprocal obligation, their initial intrinsic enjoyment may suffer a crowding-out effect. The reviewer’s motivation mix can also be in a state of flux as they rise through the ranks. This research sheds new light on motivation crowding and offers implications for online review management.     

Age as a moderator of attitude towards technology in the workplace: work motivation and overall job satisfaction

Given the prevalence of technology in the workplace, an understanding of employees' attitudes towards technology is essential. Such attitudes have been linked to such important issues as the successful implementation of new technologies in the workplace, employee intent to use technology, and the actual usage of technology by employees. As a result of the rapidly aging workforce, and because age has been linked to computer use and comfort, it is important to examine the relationship that may exist between age and attitudes towards technology. This study examines age as a moderator of 612 employees' attitudes towards technology in relation to work motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic) and overall job satisfaction. Further, given the technological socialisation of the Generation X (Gen X) versus the Baby Boomers, our sample comprised these two demographics. Hierarchical moderated multiple regression indicates age moderates the relationship between attitude towards technology and intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and to a lesser extent, overall job satisfaction. In each instance, older employees exhibit the strongest relationships with the outcome variables when possessing a high attitude towards technology. In contrast, older employees exhibit the weakest relationships when possessing a low attitude towards technology. These results are supportive of the moderating effect of age on attitude towards technology. Lastly, implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Effects of the ARCS-V-based motivational strategies on online learners' academic performance,motivation, volition,and course interest

This exploratory experimental study investigates the impact of motivational strategies based on the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction, and Volition (ARCS-V) model on online learners' academic performance, motivation, volition, and course interest. The research was conducted over an 11-week semester with 122 undergraduate online learners within two groups. One group received a traditional e-course, while the other group was offered the course with extra motivational strategies derived from the ARCS-V model. The results revealed that the group who used motivational strategies showed significantly higher gains in motivation, academic performance, and course interest scores. However, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding the volition. Furthermore, the motivation and interest variables were measured with Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction subscales of the ARCS-V model. In terms of interest variable, there was only a statistically significant difference on the Attention subscale. Regarding motivation variable, the results also showed a statistically significant difference on the attention, confidence, and satisfaction subsections of the ARCS-V model. The findings of the present study offer insights into ARCSV model-based research by examining the effects of the model as a valid and reliable framework for online learning environments. The implications and directions for future research are then discussed.     

Virtual worlds in competitive contexts: Analyzing eSports consumer needs

More recently, 3D graphical environments on the Internet, that is virtual worlds, have moved to the center of scientific interest. Since virtual worlds are suggested to mold social computing, research has predominately focused on collaborative virtual worlds. Yet, virtual worlds increasingly move to competitive environments leaving operating businesses with the question as to what to offer in order to fulfill customers’ needs. To close this knowledge gap, we examine competitive virtual worlds in terms of eSports services intrinsically tying cooperation and competition; we illuminate competitive and hedonic need gratifications of continuous eSports use. We apply Uses and Gratifications theory reporting on ten in-depth expert interviews as well as survey data collected from 360 eSports players. We reveal that both competitive (competition and challenge) and hedonic need gratifications (escapism) drive continuous eSports use.     

The need to achieve: Players' perceptions and uses of extrinsic meta-game reward systems for video game consoles

Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation overlay achievement and trophy systems onto their video games. Though these meta-game reward systems are growing in popularity, little research has examined whether players notice, use, or seek out these systems. In this study, game players participated in focus groups to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of meta-game reward systems. Participants described the value of meta-game reward systems in promoting different ways to play games, giving positive feedback about game play, and boosting self-esteem and online and offline social status. Participants discussed completionists, or gamers that want to earn all of the badges associated with the meta-game. Though self-determination theory and its subtheory cognitive evaluation theory suggest that extrinsic rewards might harm players' intrinsic motivation, our findings suggest players may see these systems as intrinsically motivating in this context. The implications of rewards systems for motivation, video game habits, and internet gaming disorder are discussed.     

Acceptance of Internet-based learning medium: the role of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation

This study is one of the few attempts to investigate students’ acceptance of an Internet-based learning medium (ILM). By integrating a motivational perspective into the technology acceptance model, our model captured both extrinsic (perceived usefulness and ease of use) and intrinsic (perceived enjoyment) motivators for explaining students’ intention to use the new learning medium. Data collected from 544 undergraduate students were examined through the LISREL VIII framework. The results showed that both perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment significantly and directly impacted their intention to use ILM. Surprisingly, perceive ease of use did not posit a significant impact on student attitude or intention towards ILM usage. Implications of this study are important for both researchers and practitioners.     

Towards understanding the effects of individual gamification elements on intrinsic motivation and performance

Research on the effectiveness of gamification has proliferated over the last few years, but the underlying motivational mechanisms have only recently become object of empirical research. It has been suggested that when perceived as informational, gamification elements, such as points, levels and leaderboards, may afford feelings of competence and hence enhance intrinsic motivation and promote performance gains. We conducted a 2 × 4 online experiment that systematically examined how points, leaderboards and levels, as well as participants' goal causality orientation influence intrinsic motivation, competence and performance (tag quantity and quality) in an image annotation task. Compared to a control condition, game elements did not significantly affect competence or intrinsic motivation, irrespective of participants' causality orientation. However, participants' performance did not mirror their intrinsic motivation, as points, and especially levels and leaderboard led to a significantly higher amount of tags generated compared to the control group. These findings suggest that in this particular study context, points, levels and leaderboards functioned as extrinsic incentives, effective only for promoting performance quantity.     

内在激励强化学习及其在Robocup仿真中的应用

针对以往的强化学习对单步动作学习的效率较低,从心理学角度引入内在激励的概念,并将其作为强化学习的激励信号,与外部激励信号一同作用于强化学习的整个过程。改变了传统意义上的强化学习的框架模式。在学习的过程中,不但要学习单步的动作值,同时还学连续动作的技巧值,通过构建各种“技巧”,来提高解决新问题的能力,使学习的效率得到很大的提高。最后将内在激励的强化学习运用于Robocup仿真组足球比赛当中。