Table_1_Physical Self Matters: How the Dual Nature of Body Image Influences Smart Watch Purchase Intention.docx

To determine the role of physical self in body-involving consumption, we explore how body image influences purchasing intention toward hybrid products with body-involving features. In this study, we establish the dual nature of body image: specifically, body image influences intention to purchase via the perception of utilitarian value and symbolic value. Further, we find a competitive mediation in which positive body image (PBI) negatively influences purchase intention (direct effect), while PBI is positively related to purchase intention via utilitarian and symbolic value (indirect effect). This indicates that without the mediation testing of the utilitarian-symbolic framework, the positive influence of body image will be “hidden.” Additionally, the mediated effect of symbolic value is moderated by personal innovativeness toward technology (PITT), suggesting that a consumer’s knowledge of wearables enhances the effect of body image. With the introduction of body image, this paper provides a more comprehensive model to analyze purchase intention with regard to digital products with body-involving features.

本研究旨在探讨物理自我在涉及身体消费中的角色，我们考察了身体形象如何影响对具有涉及身体特征的混合产品的购买意图。在本次研究中，我们确立了身体形象的双重特性：具体而言，身体形象通过实用价值和象征价值的感知影响购买意图。此外，我们发现了一种竞争性中介作用，其中积极的身体形象（PBI）对购买意图具有负向影响（直接效应），而PBI通过实用价值和象征价值与购买意图呈正相关（间接效应）。这表明，如果没有对实用-象征框架的中介作用进行测试，身体形象的积极影响将“隐藏”。此外，象征价值的介导效应受到对技术创新性（PITT）的个人倾向的调节，这表明消费者对可穿戴设备的了解增强了身体形象的影响。引入身体形象后，本文提供了一种更全面的模型，用于分析具有涉及身体特征数字产品的购买意图。