Emotional tug of virtual live streamers: exploring the psychological mechanism between interactions and customer emotional attachment

• Main Author: Zhou, Huanyi
• Other Authors: Chen Lou
• Format: Thesis-Master by Coursework
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2025
• Subjects: Social Sciences; Virtual live streamer; Interaction styles; Emotional attachment; Sense of control; Identity recognition; Psychological distance
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/182834
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

With the continuous innovation in artificial intelligence technology, virtual live streamers are increasingly becoming crucial tools for brands in interactive marketing. However, research on how virtual live streamers drive the enhancement of consumer emotional attachment remains underdeveloped. Few studies have systematically and deeply analyzed the psychological mechanisms underlying the interaction styles of virtual live streamers and customer emotional attachment, based on psychological ownership theory, social identity theory, and construal level theory. This study thoroughly investigates the psychological mechanisms of the interaction styles of AI-driven live streamers (task-oriented vs. social-oriented) on customer emotional attachment. The findings reveal that, compared to instrumental virtual live streamers, social virtual live streamers induce higher emotional attachment among customers. Customers' sense of control and identity recognition serve dual mediating roles in the impact of virtual live streamers on customer emotional attachment, while psychological distance moderates the intrinsic effects of customers' sense of control and social identity. These conclusions not only enrich research on the relationship between the interaction styles of virtual live streamers and customer emotions in e-commerce scenarios but also provide practical guidance for brands in designing and selecting appropriate roles of virtual live.