This study is based on the M-R environmental psychology model, and investigates if social element and contextual element of social-servicescape conceptual models can affect consuming emotions and behavior. Moreover, this study examines the role of cognitive appraisal and extends the M-R environmental psychology model to include both emotional states and cognitive appraisal as mediators of the social-servicescape and coping behavior relationships. It adopts scenario experiment manipulation method to understand how the social element and contextual element affect cognitive appraisal, consuming emotions and behavior of approach or avoidance. The finding of the research is as followed. 1. Social element and contextual element can affect consuming emotions. 2. Under the social-servicescape, contextual element can affect coping behavior, and this relationship will be mediated by consuming emotions. 3. Social element can affect goal congruence significantly. 4. Under the social-servicescape, consuming emotions and goal congruence can affect coping behavior significantly. 5. The relationship between social-servicescape and goal congruence can be mediated by consuming emotions.

This dissertation examines how the inclusion of the social element in access-based consumption can influence affective and behavioral responses. The first essay builds upon the dimensions proposed by Bardhi and Eckhardt, who found that market mediation, anonymity, temporality, consumer involvement, type of accessed object and political consumerism are key dimensions on which to study access-based consumption. A reconceptualization of these dimensions is proposed in the current work to incorporate the social element. Foremost, a separation of renting and sharing based on the presence or absence of economic exchange is proposed. The implications for the remaining dimensions of anonymity, temporality, consumer participation, type of accessed object, political consumerism and governance are then discussed. Finally, key outcome variables of community, cooperation, loneliness and contagion are reviewed. In Essay 2, the guiding theory of social distance is used to empirically test the impact of the social element on evaluations of a rental service on the outcomes of satisfaction, attitude, disgust and community. In the rental context examined, users are interpersonally anonymous indicating that there is no relationship between the current user and other users. In addition, users must engage in extra-role behaviors because no intermediaries are present. In three experiments, it is shown that encounters with other users can lead to increased feelings of disgust and decreased satisfaction and attitude towards the rental service. Having information about other users, provided in the form of avatar images, can enhance feelings of community, as can certain types of communication between users. Given the benefits that emerge from feelings of community, Essay 3 explores factors that can enhance or detract from sense of community. Factors such as apathetic participation and similarity are considered. In addition, positive outcomes that emerge from feelings of community, such as sign-up likelihood and care behaviors, are measured. / 2015-04-17

Background: Incorporating microtransactions has become a popular business model for video game publishers as it ultimately provides stability and reduces financial risk. While microtransactions are becoming increasingly prevalent, they do not come without trouble as they have been linked to unfair gameplay advantages and reduced satisfaction with the game. However, understanding and meeting players’ perceived values mean that developers can incorporate microtransactions more effectively and avoid such concerns. Problem: Despite comprehensive research and the consistent recognition of perceived values as having a significant impact on the propensity to purchase microtransactions, the existing literature has yielded inconclusive results regarding the precise extent of their influence. Furthermore, the current body of literature has mainly focused on multiplayer games which differ greatly in their nature compared with single-player games, meaning that these findings do not necessarily apply in a single-player environment. Thus, very little is known about what happens when the social element is absent in the game and more research is needed on single-player games to understand this impact, where perceptions can be explored in another setting yielding potentially different results. Purpose: The research seeks to examine the influence of social elements on players’ attitudes toward purchasing microtransactions and build a theoretical framework. With the absence of research on single-player games and the distinction to multiplayer modes, emergent findings will elaborate adjacent theories on microtransactional gaming and provide an increasingly nuanced understanding of the topic. Research Question: How does the social element of gaming impact players’ willingness to purchase microtransactions? Method: Ontology – Interpretivism; Epistemology – Social Constructionism; Methodology – Inductive Exploratory Multiple Case Study; Data Collection – 10 Semi-structured Interviews; Interview Technique – Laddering Technique; Sampling –Purposeful Sampling and Snowball Sampling; Data Analysis – Thematic Content Analysis. Conclusion: The present study provides evidence of four distinct perceived values, namely self-expression, emotional, convenience, and social, which exert influence on players' willingness to purchase microtransactions. Notably, the social aspects within the gaming environment were found to differentially impact each of these values. Furthermore, these perceived values were found to possess a temporal dimension, indicating whether the anticipated benefits would be realized immediately, in the future, or both. To determine the overall perceived value and purchase intent, players assess the expected benefits of perceived immediate and future value relative to the purchase's associated costs and perceived social risks.