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Impact of content and emotion congruency on tipping: evidence from live streaming

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  • Huang, Ziyang
  • Chen, Kun
  • Xu, Ting

Abstract

In live streaming, while real-time streamer–viewer interaction is crucial, prior research has often overlooked how their interaction congruency influences tipping behavior. Drawing on interaction adaptation theory, our study investigates how content congruency and emotion congruency between streamers and viewers influence tipping frequency, and further explores how key live-streaming characteristics, i.e., stream type and time slot, moderate these effects. Our empirical analysis is based on a dataset comprising 5,229 three-minute observations and is conducted using the GMM model. We find that both congruency types boost tipping frequency. Emotion congruency has a particularly strong influence in informational streams, while content congruency plays a more prominent role in entertainment streams. Notably, the positive effects of both types of congruencies on tipping frequency are amplified during midday sessions. Our work applies interaction adaptation theory to live streaming, enriching its theoretical framework while offering strategic guidance for content design and interaction optimization.

Suggested Citation

  • Huang, Ziyang & Chen, Kun & Xu, Ting, 2026. "Impact of content and emotion congruency on tipping: evidence from live streaming," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:207:y:2026:i:c:s0148296326000342
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116000
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