The moderating role of locus of control on the links between experiential motives and intention to play online games

Online games represent a burgeoning market sector with growth potential. The distinctive entertainment-oriented features of such games provide experiential motives for users. However, most previous studies have focused on the single dimensional affective motive of online game use. The multi-dimensional affective motivational aspects of entertainment technologies have been relatively neglected. In addition, previous studies report inconsistent relationships between motives and online game usage. To fill these gaps in the literature, the present study proposes five experiential motives such as concentration, enjoyment, escape, epistemic curiosity, and social affiliation as predictors of intention to play online games. External locus of control is also introduced as a moderator in the links between experiential motives and intention. The model was tested with the data from 576 current online game players who answered online survey. Structural equation model analysis confirmed that three experiential motives with the exception of concentration and epistemic curiosity have a positive effect on intention. χ2 difference test confirmed that the coefficients linking experiential motives such as concentration, enjoyment, and escape to intention are higher for people with external locus of control than for people with internal locus of control. Implications are discussed in conclusion.