This dissertation examines how non-conscious habits and conscious motivations contribute to an individual's intention to continue playing online multiplayer games. It empirically examines distinct predictions of behavioral intention based on different theories in two gaming contexts--casual social network games (SNGs) and massively multiplayer online games (MMOs). Addressing inconsistencies in prior studies, habit is conceptualized as the mental construct of automaticity, thus distinguishing habit from frequency of past behavior and self-identity. Results indicate that strong habits positively predict behavior continuation intention and moderate the effect of motivation for SNGs but not MMOs. Self-identity was a positive predictor for both genres. Gender differences in self-determined motivation were present in social network games but not massively multiplayer online games. The residual effect of past behavior was stronger than any conscious or non-conscious processes; once perceived frequency of past behavior was taken into consideration, it was the strongest indicator of behavioral continuation intentions. -- Abstract.
Read
