Sense of Presence and Subjective Well-Being in Online Pet Watching: The Moderation Role of Loneliness and Perceived Stress

Zekun Zhou, Duo Yin and Quan Gao
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Zekun Zhou: College of Tourism and Service Management, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
Duo Yin: Higher Education Mega Centre, School of Geography and Remote Sensing, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Quan Gao: School of Social Science, Singapore Management University, 90 Stamford Road, Singapore 188065, Singapore

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: Watching videos/livestreams concerning pets is becoming an increasingly popular phenomenon among youth in China, thus the social dynamics and psychological impacts of this pet-centred online activities worth in-depth exploration. This study investigates the sensual experiences of the audiences who have watched pet videos/livestreams and examines how these online experiences influence their subjective well-being. We develop a conceptual model that bases on the relationships between telepresence, social presence, flow experience, and subjective well-being to comprehend this mechanism. The result of 439 samples indicates that both telepresence and social presence have significant positive effects on flow experience, and social presence also has a positive impact on subjective well-being. We also examine the role of loneliness and perceived stress in moderating the effects of online pet watching on subjective well-being, showing that loneliness has a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between social presence and flow experience, while perceived pressure has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between telepresence and flow experience. This study not only demonstrates the positive effect of an online pet on subjective well-being and but also uses interview data to comprehend the social processes underlying this effect. We also discuss the theoretical and practical values of this study in improving public health in the digital age.

Keywords: telepresence; social presence; flow experience; subjective well-being; loneliness; perceived stress; pet videos/livestreams (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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