Using social learning theory in examining YouTube viewers’ desire to imitate travel vloggers

Abstract

Purpose

Applying social learning theory and the source credibility model, this study aims to investigate the impacts of perceived attractiveness, expertise and trustworthiness of YouTube travel vloggers on viewers’ wishful identification and behavioral intention. The study also aims to examine the effects of vlogger gender on viewers’ perception and on their wish to be like the vlogger.

Design/methodology/approach

With an online data collection from 402 YouTube travel vlog viewers, a moderated mediation model was tested using multiple linear regression and multivariate nested linear regression.

Findings

This study found that physical attractiveness, social attractiveness and credibility of travel vloggers positively affected audience wishful identification, among which credibility had the strongest impact. The effect of the travel vlogger’s social attractiveness on viewer wishful identification was even strengthened when the vlogger and the viewer were of different genders. Wishful identification partially mediated the relationship between vloggers’ attributes and viewers’ behavioral intention. Finally, the finding revealed female vloggers were perceived as more physically attractive than males, whereas male vloggers were assessed as more credible than their female counterparts.

Originality/value

Expanding upon the literature on mass media and social media, this study explains the mechanism of developing intention to imitate the travel vloggers of YouTube viewers. The findings provide tourism and hospitality managers with solution in choosing the most inspirational travel vlogger to influence consumer behavior.

使用社会学习理论来检验YouTube观众模仿vlogger行为

研究目的

本论文使用社会学习理论和信息可靠性模型来研究YouTube旅游Vlogger感知吸引力、专业知识、和可信赖性对观众的理想化认同和行为意图的影响。本论文还检验Vlogger性别对观众感知和理想化认同的影响。

研究设计/方法/途径

研究样本数据为402位YouTube旅游vlog观众的在线数据, 采用多重线性回归和多变量镶嵌线性回归来分析调节中介模型。

研究结果

研究结果表明, 旅游Vlogger的本身吸引力, 社交吸引力, 和可信赖度影响观众的理想化认同, 其中可信赖度占比重最大。旅游Vlogger的社交吸引力对观众的理想化认同影响力加强, 当旅游Vlogger与观众的性别不同时。理想化认同部分调节Vlogger属性与观众行为意图之间的关系。最后, 本论文研究表明, 女性Vlogger比男性Vlogger本身吸引力更大一些, 而男性Vlogger对观众的可信赖程度比女性Vlogger要大一些。

研究原创性/价值

本论文拓展了大众传媒和社交传媒的文献范畴, 解释了YouTube观众如何模仿旅游Vlogger的动机。本论文结果为旅游和酒店管理者们提供了解决方案, 如何选择最有影响力的旅游Vlogger来影响消费者行为。

关键词

关键词 旅游vlogger, 、社交媒体, 、影响者营销, 、理想化认同, 、社会学习理论, 、YouTube

文章类型 – 研究型论文

Citation

Le, L.H. and Hancer, M. (2021), "Using social learning theory in examining YouTube viewers’ desire to imitate travel vloggers", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 512-532. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-08-2020-0200