Experiential value and domain-specific innovativeness during freemium game usage: effects on child well-being

Purpose In specifically examining uses of freemium applications for children, this study aims to investigate the effects on user well-being after the experiential value by examining the influence of experiential value in terms of domain-specific innovativeness; the impact of domain-specific innovativeness in terms of child well-being; the moderating role of child socialization; and the relevance of contextual variables associated with media exposure during freemium game use. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a survey of children who had downloaded freemium games on their smartphones. A total of 410 completed questionnaires were collected from children of 9 to 12 years of age. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation models were applied to examine and test the study hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that experiential value influences domain-specific innovativeness; domain-specific innovativeness is a significant predictor of well-being; parental materialism and communication with friends significantly moderates domain-specific innovativeness and well-being; and contextual variables do not influence the model. Practical implications Public policy managers should be cognizant of these results and should make every effort to prevent the identified relationships from becoming too strong, given the strong effect of domain-specific innovativeness on child well-being. Originality/value This paper contributes to the extant literature by incorporating experiential value and domain-specific innovativeness variables within a comprehensive model and by accounting for the effects of relevant contextual variables and the moderating role of child socialization.