This document proposes a heuristic model for studying information behavior on social live streaming services (SLSSs). It identifies several theoretical foundations to inform the model, including the Lasswell communication formula, uses and gratifications theory, self-determination theory, and content analysis. The proposed model would examine SLSS users in their roles as producers, consumers, and participants, and analyze their motives, gratifications sought and obtained, and the content they produce and consume. It aims to provide a common framework to allow for comparable results across different research studying information behavior on SLSS platforms.

1. A Model for Information Behavior Research
on Social Live Streaming Services (SLSSs)
Franziska Zimmer, Katrin Scheibe & Wolfgang G. Stock
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany, Department of Information Science
HCI International, 2018
July 18, 2018, Las Vegas, NV

2. Social Live Streaming Services
SLSSs
Synchronous Social Networking Services
Users broadcast their own program in real-time
Broadcasting via mobile devices or PC /
webcam
Audience can interact with the broadcaster and
with the other viewers via chat
Audience may reward the performers
General
SLSSs
e.g.,
Periscope,
YouNow,
Ustream,
YY Live
Topic-specific
SLSSs
e.g.,
Twitch (e-sports),
Picarto (art),
Taobao
(e-commerce)
Embedded SLSSs: YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Instagram Live
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3. THE NEED OF A HEURISTIC MODEL OF
INFORMATION BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL LIVE
STREAMING SERVICES
 Why do people in their roles of producers, consumers, and
participants use SLSSs?
 What are their motives? Are they intrinsically or extrinsically
motivated?
 What kind of content is produced?
 How do users look for gratifications? How will they obtain
them?
 Does gamification play a role? Is there any experience of
flow?
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4. THE NEED OF A HEURISTIC MODEL OF
INFORMATION BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL LIVE
STREAMING SERVICES
Benefits of a model:
 It addresses all building blocks of the entire communication
process and the information behavior on SLSSs
 It establishes a common basis for comparable results from
different research teams
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5. THE NEED OF A HEURISTIC MODEL OF
INFORMATION BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL LIVE
STREAMING SERVICES
Theoretical foundations:
 Lasswell formula
 Uses and gratifications theory
 Social and parasocial interaction
 Actor types
 Gratifications sought and obtained
 Self-determination theory
 Gamification and flow
 Content analysis
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6. THE LASSWELL FORMULA OF COMMUNICATION
 following Lasswell (1948) and Braddock (1958)
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7. USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY
 following Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch (1973)
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8. USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY
Basic dimensions of gratifications; following Blumler & Katz
(1975) and McQuail (1983)
 Entertainment
 Information
 Social interaction (?)
 Self-presentation
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9. USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY
 Social vs. parasocial interaction; following Argyle (1969) and
Horton & Wohl (1956)
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10. USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY
 Gratifications sought and obtained; following Palmgreen,
Wenner, & Rayburn II (1980)
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11. USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY
Actor types on social media; following Shao (2009)
 Producers
 Participants
 Consumers
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12. SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY
 Intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation;
following Ryan & Deci (2017)
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13. SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY
Gamification and flow, following Scheibe (2018), Zichermann &
Cunningham (2011), Deterding (2012), and Csikszentmihalyi
(1990)
 Motivation driven by gamification
 Flow: total absorption in an activity, prototype of intrinsically
motivated activity
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14. CONTENT ANALYSIS OF VIDEOS
Content; following Zimmer et al. (2017), and Kasakowskij (2018)
 Content classes: food & lifestyle, information, entertainment,
nature & spirituality, sports & arts, etc.
 Potential violations of law: copyright, personality rights, sports
broadcasting rights, road traffic act, insults, etc.
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15. 15

16. Lasswell Formula
Who
Circumstances
Motives
What
Channel
To Whom
What Effect
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17. Uses and Gratifications
Theory
Audience
Social and Psychological Origins
Needs
Expectation
Media Exposure
Media Need
Gratification
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18. Actor Types
Consumer
Producer
Participant
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19. Gratifications Sought
and Obtained
Consumer
Producer
Participant
Producer‘s
Gratifications (Sought
and Obtained)
Consumer‘s
Gratifications (Sought
and Obtained)
Participant‘s
Gratifications (Sought
and Obtained)
Entertainment, Information,
only parasocial interaction
no self-presentation
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20. Self-Determination
Theory
Producer‘s
Motives: Intrinsic and
Extrinsic
Consumer‘s
Motives: Intrinsic and
Extrinsic; Amotivation to
Participate
Participant‘s
Motives: Intrinsic and
Extrinsic
Role of Gamification
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21. THIS SESSION
Micro-celebrities
Influencers
Isabelle Dorsch
Twitch Users and Their
Usage Behavior
Daniel Gros
Content, Motivation, and
Producers‘ Age
Thomas Kasakowskij
Gamification
Katrin Scheibe
Content
Franziska Zimmer
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22. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
GREETINGS FROM DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY
ZIMMER - SCHEIBE - STOCK / HCII 2018
Franziska.Zimmer@hhu.de Stock@phil.hhu.deKatrin.Scheibe@hhu.de
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