Uncovering the Cognitive, Psychological, and Social Mechanisms Affecting TikTok’s Reuse Intention: Verifying the Role of Platform Characteristics, Psychological Distance, and Social Identity

Abstract

With the consumption of user generated online contents content increasing rapidly, the short clip market in China is fast growing. TikTok, a leading short clip platform, has achieved great business success. However, there is not much research done on TikTok platform from the current customers’ social and psychological viewpoints. Against this background, this study aims to verify the cognitive, emotional and behavioral pre-cursors of platform reuse decision by focusing on the platform’s informational contents, users’ network traits, user attachment, user engagement, psychological distance, and social identity. This way, this study extends the current understanding on the antecedent factors affecting users’ behavioral intention of TikTok through broader perspectives including social and psychological predictors. During October 2021, an online questionnaire survey was administered in China. On the subject of TikTok platform. Firstly, the study found that both information characteristics and social network traits significantly affect the user engagement as well as attachment. Secondly, both the user attachment and engagement have a significant impact on reuse intention. Thirdly, the psychological distance plays a significant moderating role in the relationship between bridging network and attachment. Finally, the social identity significantly moderates the relationship between bridging network and user engagement. The study result is expected to add to the current literature which has not examined the antecedent factors affecting users’ reuse intention of TikTok from broader aspects including social and psychological variables.