Paper Type
Complete
Paper Number
PACIS2025-1949
Description
This study explores the gift attributes of virtual currency on social platforms. In Chinese lculture,red packets are given as gifts during the Spring Festival, symbolizing auspicious blessings.WeChat’s virtual red packets enhance social interactions through customizable amounts and flexible transfers. Based on social exchange theory and the theory of reciprocity, this study compares the gift-giving practices on WeChat and traditional gifts and refines the research model to account for the unique characteristics of virtual red packets. In our study, gift reciprocity, symbolic representation, immediacy of gift sending affects the total number of red envelopes through perceived worth. Symbolic representation and relationship support affect the tendency of sending special red envelopes The research contributes to gift-giving literature by deepening the understanding of money as a gift in online context. For WeChat operators, understanding how to enhance the behavior of users sending WeChat red envelopes can expand the WeChat mobile online payment economy
Recommended Citation
Wang, ZiSheng and Dai, Qiuhui, "Money as a Gift in the Online Context: An Empirical Study in A Chinese Social Media" (2025). PACIS 2025 Proceedings. 21.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2025/sm_digcollab/sm_digcollab/21
Money as a Gift in the Online Context: An Empirical Study in A Chinese Social Media
This study explores the gift attributes of virtual currency on social platforms. In Chinese lculture,red packets are given as gifts during the Spring Festival, symbolizing auspicious blessings.WeChat’s virtual red packets enhance social interactions through customizable amounts and flexible transfers. Based on social exchange theory and the theory of reciprocity, this study compares the gift-giving practices on WeChat and traditional gifts and refines the research model to account for the unique characteristics of virtual red packets. In our study, gift reciprocity, symbolic representation, immediacy of gift sending affects the total number of red envelopes through perceived worth. Symbolic representation and relationship support affect the tendency of sending special red envelopes The research contributes to gift-giving literature by deepening the understanding of money as a gift in online context. For WeChat operators, understanding how to enhance the behavior of users sending WeChat red envelopes can expand the WeChat mobile online payment economy
Comments
Social