Abstract: Previous studies had identified various factors influencing adolescent online game playing behavior, such as the online game’s design, players’ psychological characteristics, and traits of the Internet as an emerging medium. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying adolescent online game playing behavior have not been fully comprehended. Based on a motivational process perspective, this study explores the main motivational determinants of adolescent online gamers’ playing intention as well as the relationships among intrinsic motivations of different levels.
We collected data from six high schools in Beijing. A total of 468 questionnaires were collected, and 378 valid observations made up the final sample. All the measurement scales for key constructs were adopted or adapted from prior studies. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed through the procedure of translation and back-translation as well as a pilot study. Structural equation modeling and maximum likelihood estimation were used to examine the proposed model.
Exploratory factor analysis indicated five basic intrinsic motivations (i.e., benefits exchange, social interaction, beyond reality, self-efficacy and enjoyment/fun) and three extrinsic motivations (i.e., time limit, subjective norm, and involvement) underlying adolescent online gamers’ playing behaviors. Hypotheses testing results demonstrated that adolescent online gamers’ playing intention was influenced by a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Specifically, four basic intrinsic motivations (except the dimension of benefit exchange) stimulated flow motivation, which subsequently had positive effect on playing intention. Among extrinsic motivations, subjective norm could reduce playing intention, while player involvement towards playing online games had the opposite effect. We find that flow experience was driven by basic intrinsic motivations.
Due to the significant effects of flow experience, involvement and subjective norm on playing intention, firms providing online game products/services should try to strengthen adolescents’ intrinsic motivations, especially the flow experience, in product promotion and marketing communication activities. In addition, it is also worthwhile to guide adolescents to play online games in line with social value/moral. That would also help to raise corporate image of high social responsibility

Key words: online games, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, flow, playing intention