Isolation marketing: social isolation and virtual gift donation intention

Purpose This study aims to examine the phenomenon of gift-giving in the context of live video streaming, which has received little attention in research studies. Specifically, the study seeks to explore the impact of social isolation on virtual gift donation intentions while considering the mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating role of self-confidence. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the terror management theory, this study employs a sample of 327 participants from the United States to examine the relationship between social isolation, self-esteem, self-confidence, and virtual gift donation intention. The proposed conceptual model is tested using the statistical approach of Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares. Findings The results show that social isolation strongly predicts the intention to donate virtual gifts, and self-esteem mediates this association. Additionally, the study indicates that self-confidence does not directly mediate the relationship between social isolation and virtual gift donation intention but acts indirectly through self-esteem. Originality/value This study explores social isolation as a new antecedent of virtual gift donation intention. It also examines the mechanisms and underlying conditions under which social isolation affects virtual gift donation intention.