摘要
Abstract
Consumers increasingly use artificial intelligence-generated content(AIGC)tools to create portraits for online self-presentation,social interaction,and brand engagement.AIGC portraits can beautify,stylize,and reconstruct personal images at low cost,but consumers may not always want to share them publicly.Some consumers may prefer portraits that appear authentic and recognizable,whereas others may value idealized or creative visual effects.This tension raises an important marketing question about the factors motivating consumers to share AIGC portraits on social platforms.
This paper examines the impact of the authenticity of AIGC portraits on consumers' sharing intention.Such authenticity refers to the extent to which consumers perceive an AI-generated portrait as being consistent with their actual appearance.It proposes that higher authenticity increases sharing intention and then further identifies two psychological mechanisms.First,authentic AIGC portraits activate consumers' self-enhancement motivation by enabling them to present a positive,natural,and socially acceptable image.Second,authentic AIGC portraits activate consumers' self-verification motivation because such portraits affirm and express a stable self-concept.This paper also examines regulatory focus as a boundary condition.Three experiments were conducted to test hypotheses.Study 1 used a single-factor between-subjects design and found that AIGC portraits with high authenticity generated stronger sharing intention.Study 2 replicated this main effect with a different manipulation.It also revealed that self-enhancement motivation and self-verification motivation mediate this positive effect.Study 3 adopted a 2 × 2 between-subjects design and indicated a significant interaction between portrait authenticity and regulatory focus.High authenticity had a stronger effect on sharing intention for prevention-focused(vs.promotion-focused)consumers.In addition,moderated mediation analyses further showed that regulatory focus strengthened the indirect effect of authenticity on sharing intention via self-enhancement motivation.
This paper makes three contributions.First,it extends authenticity research to AIGC portraits.Second,it explains why authentic AIGC portraits increase consumers' sharing intention.Third,it enriches regulatory focus theory by showing that prevention-focused consumers depend more on authenticity cues.The findings also offer practical implications.Firms that are providing or planning to provide AIGC portrait services should emphasize image authenticity,preserve users' recognizable personal features,and design communication strategies that align with the motivations activated among consumers.Messages for prevention-focused consumers should emphasize accurate representation,natural appearance,and safe sharing,while messages for promotion-focused consumers can emphasize creativity,idealized self-expression,and personalized style.关键词
AI生成人像/真实性/分享意愿/自我增强动机/自我验证动机/调节定向Key words
AI-generated portrait/authenticity/sharing intention/self-enhancement motivation/self-verification motivation/regulatory focus分类
管理科学
