Moderated mediation of the link between live streaming information content and impulse purchase: The role of psychological distance and streamer admiration

Abstract

With the boom of mobile Internet and the popularization of smartphones, live streaming platforms have become an important marketing tool for online and physical stores. Based on signal theory and cognitive psychology, this paper discusses how the information content on live streaming platforms influences the impulse purchase of consumers, and how the influence is affected by psychological distance and streamer admiration of consumers. First, several hypotheses were put forward about the mediation role of psychological distance and the moderation role of streamer admiration. Then, the research data were collected through a questionnaire survey among the audience of live streaming platforms, and were analyzed through hierarchical regression to test the hypotheses. The results show that the information content of live streaming platforms has a significant positive impact on the impulse purchase of consumers; this impact is mediated by the psychological distance; the relationship between information content and psychological distance is moderated by streamer admiration. The research results provide new insights into the marketing effect of live streaming platforms and live streamers.