• Asia Marketing Journal
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.39-50
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• 2022

Live streaming has become one of the most important communication tools for influencers to synchronously interact with viewers. It is critical to understand the effect of the reciprocal and synchronously interactive relations built between influencers and viewers, so-called trans-parasocial relations, in the context of live streaming. In this study, we investigate how trans-parasocial relations impact viewers' stickiness and purchase intention on live streaming platforms. Furthermore, we investigate fanship as a mediating factor in the relationship between trans-parasocial relations and viewers' behaviors. Overall, the results reveal significant direct and indirect effects of trans-parasocial relations on viewers' stickiness and purchase intention. Higher trans-parasocial relations further lead to stronger viewers' fanship toward influencers and increases their willingness to stay longer or make purchases on live streaming platforms. These findings further the understanding of influencer-viewer relations and viewers' behavior on live streaming platforms and provide valuable insights into influencer marketing and live streaming.

• International Journal of Contents
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.18-31
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• 2022

This study explored the effects of the parasocial relationship formed by CCTV (China Central Television) TV news and non-traditional news on users' perceived media credibility and their online and offline political participation. This study conducted a survey with the Chinese CCTV users between April 19 and April 30, 2021, and finally, 701 respondents' data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The study results showed that both TV news and non-traditional news had positive effects on parasocial relationships and the parasocial relationship positively influenced media credibility, which subsequently facilitated political participation. However, there was no direct effect between media usage and media credibility. This implies the important mediating role of parasocial interactions, which enables CCTV news to gain media credibility and subsequently influence political participation. This study suggests that CCTV needs to improve the parasocial interactions between their audience and media figures by utilizing the interactive mechanism of non-traditional media.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.166-183
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• 2024

Revisiting the classic conceptualization of parasocial relationships, the current article examines the potential parasocial relationships established with live streamers. More specifically, this research investigates the relationship between exposure and viewer engagement during live streaming, homophily of attitudes, and parasocial relationships with a live streamer. An online survey was conducted with samples in South Korea (n = 504) and the United States (n = 510) in 2020. The hierarchical linear regression analysis shows that in both countries live streaming exposure, engagement during a live stream (e.g., expressing opinions in the chat, donating money, receiving reactions from a streamer), and perceived homophily of attitudes with a live streamer are positively related to perceptions of parasocial relationships. The results confirm parasocial relationships with live streamers are a global phenomenon.

• 한국정보시스템학회지:정보시스템연구
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.89-110
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• 2022

Purpose To verify the factors that encourage consumers' favorable reaction toward virtual influencer, we proposed consumers' perception of subjective and objective similarity. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively investigate the impacts of consumers' perception toward virtual influencer on purchase intention through psychological distance and parasocial relationship. Design/methodology/approach This study was designed to examine the structural relationships among consumers' perceived external similarity, internal similarity, controllability, animacy toward virtual influencer, psychological distance, parasocial relationship and purchase intention. Findings The results are as follows. First, perceived external similarity, internal similarity, perceived controllability, and animacy had a positive impact on psychological distance. Second, psychological distance had a positive impact on parasocial relationship, whereas it had no significant impact on purchase intention. However, we found that the relation between psychological distance and purchase intention was mediated by parasocial relationship. Lastly, parasocial relationship had a positive impact on purchase intention. Based on these results, this study can propose the way to generate revenue to companies that consider advertising campaign using virtual influencer.

• 한국정보시스템학회지:정보시스템연구
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.47-80
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• 2024

Purpose With the rapid evolution of the OTT platform, this study addresses a notable gap in the existing literature by examining the impact of celebrity involvement in OTT contents on the intention to visit the country. We explore the intricate mechanisms through which the audience's sense of telepresence, facilitated by OTT technology, and parasocial relationships with celebirities contribute to the formation of the national image and, consequently, influence the intention to visit the country. Design/methodology/approach This study applied Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using survey data from 222 participants. Findings Our findings reveal a positive effect of celebrity involvement on both telepresence and parasocial relationship. Additionally, we observe a positive relationship between telepresence and parasocial relationship. The study further highlights the impact of these factors on the cognitive and affective national images. The cognitive and affective national images, in turn, positively influence the overall national image, ultimately impacting the intention to visit the country. This research contributes to the understanding of the interplay between psychological factors related to viewer-celebrity relationships and the technical characteristics of OTT contents in shaping national images and travel intentions.

• 복식문화연구
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.88-103
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• 2017

The rapid growth in the popularity of social media sites has meant that social media has become an important communication channel for brands. Brands create brand pages on social media to cultivate positive and strong relationships with consumers. This study seeks to enhance our understanding of how fashion brand pages in social media foster consumer-brand relationships by exploring the factors that affect the development of consumer-brand relationships. Drawing on the parasocial interaction theory, this study proposes parasocial interaction as a key factor of this process. Specifically, this study proposes four antecedents (vividness, interactivity, social presence, and focused attention) of consumers' parasocial interaction with brand pages, which further affects consumer responses in terms of affective engagement and brand loyalty. An online survey was administered with consumers who have followed and visited at least one fashion brand page via a social networking site (SNS). Structural equation modeling revealed that consumers' perceptions of vividness, interactivity, social presence, and focused attention on a fashion brand page positively affected their feelings towards parasocial interaction with the brand page, which in turn led to their affective engagement with the brand page and consequent brand loyalty. These findings suggest that consumers build relationships of varying degrees with brand pages in a similar manner to that with people, which leads to their development of a positive relationship with the brand. This study concludes with discussions and practical implications.

• 광고학연구
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.51-80
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• 2018

본 연구는 브랜드 웹툰의 디지털 스토리텔링 구성 요인(관련성, 진실성, 명확성)이 수용자와의 준사회적 상호작용과 브랜드 웹툰 콘텐츠에 대한 태도를 매개 변인으로 하여 구전 의도에 미치는 영향을 살펴보고자 수행되었다. 연구 결과, 브랜드 웹툰의 스토리와 브랜드 간의 관련성이 높고, 스토리가 진실하다고 지각할수록, 그리고 스토리의 명확성이 높을수록 수용자의 준사회적 상호작용 형성에 유의한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 또한, 수용자와 브랜드 웹툰 스토리텔링 요인 간의 준사회적 상호작용은 브랜드 웹툰에 대한 태도에 의해 매개되어 구전 의도에 긍정적인 영향을 주는 것으로 확인되었다. 본 연구의 결과는 스토리텔링 측면에서 브랜드 웹툰이 강화해야만 하는 구성 요인을 규명함과 동시에, 수용자와의 준사회적 상호작용을 증가시킴으로써 브랜드 웹툰의 구전 의도를 높일 수 있다는 실무적 시사점을 제공하고 있다.

• 복식문화연구
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• 제26권5호
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• pp.649-664
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• 2018

With the rapid growth of the Chinese cosmetics market and the continuous introduction of new products into the market, beauty videos generated by other consumers, that are by beauty vloggers, have become a major source of information for cosmetics consumers. With the popularity of beauty vlogs in China, beauty vloggers have become influencers who affect consumers' information processing and attitude development regarding cosmetic products and beauty routines. The current study aims to explore the characteristics of beauty vloggers that affect consumers' attitudes toward both the beauty vlogs and the products featured in those vlogs. Based on parasocial interaction theory, the study examines whether perceived characteristics of beauty vloggers influence consumers' perceived parasocial interaction, which in turn influences their attitudes. The study employs an online survey, which was administered to female consumers in China. Data from a total of 372 responses was used for analysis. Findings show that the perceived similarities to and perceived trustworthiness of vloggers have a significant impact on parasocial interactions, which influences consumer attitudes toward both the vlogs and the products shown in them. Perceived reliability and perceived attractiveness are shown to have a positive impact on consumer attitudes toward vlogs. Perceived expertise, attractiveness, similarity, and trustworthiness have all been shown to affect product attitudes. These results show that while beauty vlogs have a significant impact on consumers' decision-making processes, the perceived characteristics of beauty vloggers themselves are important to consumers in the development of their attitudes toward both vlogs and products.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.270-281
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• 2021

소셜미디어의 등장과 스마트폰의 기술적 발달로 미디어 콘텐츠의 생산, 공유, 확산이 쉬워지면서 이용자들의 미디어 이용행태에는 커다란 변화가 진행되고 있다. 이러한 변화 중 우리가 주목해야 할 것은 유튜브의 공격적인 성장이다. 이러한 성장 뒤에는 크리에이터들의 적극적인 콘텐츠 생산과 이용자들의 공유행동이 있다. 최근 들어 크리에이터들은 소셜미디어 인플루언서로서 이용자들에게 막강한 영향력을 행사하게 되었으며 이들을 활용한 인플루언서 마케팅이 주목받고 있다. 본 연구에서는 소셜미디어 인플루언서와 이용자들 간의 준사회적 상호작용은 동일시, 관심, 경험적 상호작용으로 세분화하고 관계는 신뢰도, 우정, 이해, 몰입으로 세분화하여 이들이 브랜드 태도와 구매 의도에 미치는 영향들을 살펴보았다. 연구 결과, 준사회적 상호작용인 관심과 신뢰의 관계가 브랜드 태도에 긍정적인 영향을 보였으며, 가식적이지 않은 상호작용과 우정의 관계가 구매 의도에 유의미한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 결과는 마케팅 목표에 따라 인플루언서와 소비자들간의 상호작용 방식과 관계 유형에 적합한 커뮤니케이션을 개발해야 한다는 것을 의미한다. 더 자세한 이론적 및 실무적 함의가 논의되었다.

• Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.15-23
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• 2022

Participants in real-time online sessions, be it (business) meetings, virtual school lessons, or social live streams, all engage in cyber social interactions. Unlike parasocial interactions, cyber social interactions are characterized by reciprocity and temporal proximity. In contrast to social interactions, they lack spatial proximity and bodily contact. This is a fairly new concept in information science that rose from technological advances and unprecedented circumstances (e.g., the rise of digital economy and knowledge workers being able to work remotely or, more recently, global lockdowns and contact restrictions). As a result, the past ways of working and socializing were transformed by making them, in some cases predominantly, virtual. Regarding the example of social live streaming we exhibit the importance of cyber social interactions for information behavior research. This conceptual article is a plea for information science to engage more in human-human online relations and interactions.