The role of regulatory focus in decision making of mobile app download: A study of Chinese college students

Abstract

This paper aims to map out college consumers’ decision making process in mobile application download. Regulatory focus (RF) is examined as an important factor affecting gratifications sought (GS) and information processing (IP), app selection style and the ultimate mobile app download behavior. Results show that RF has effects on hedonic GS, and heuristic IP and systematic IP. Hedonic GS positively predicts equally both heuristic processing and systematic processing. Both heuristic processing and systematic processing predict selection style. Although selection style does not affect download app type diversity, impulsive style consumers are more likely to download the app. The study also shows college consumers in general have high likelihood in downloading an app after they considered it. Hedonic GS mediates the relation between RF and both heuristic processing and systematic processing. Systematic processing mediates hedonic GS and selection style. Hence mobile app download decision involves both heuristic and systematic processing.