버추얼 아이돌 이용자 인지특성이 행동의도에 미치는 영향: 지각된 가치의 매개효과를 중심으로 = The Impact of Virtual Idol Users’ Cognitive Characteristics on Behavioral Intention: Focusing on the Mediating Effect of Perceived Value

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The rapid convergence of AI and digital media technologies is blurring the boundaries between the virtual and the real, giving rise to new forms of cultural existence. Among them, virtual idols—digital personae that combine human-like emotional expressions with algorithm-based technologies—create emotional bonds and immersive experiences with users through visual media and interactive platforms. This phenomenon represents not merely technological advancement but also a socio-cultural shift that reflects changes in emotional exchange, self-identification, and cultural consumption patterns in the digital generation. In recent years, the virtual idol industry has expanded into entertainment, gaming, advertising, and brand collaborations, evolving into a comprehensive content ecosystem. However, despite this industrial growth, academic research has yet to sufficiently address how users’ psychological factors and value perceptions influence behavioral decision-making. Existing studies have tended to focus on surface-level factors such as fandom formation or technological implementation, with limited integrated analysis of users’ cognitive responses, value evaluation processes, and the internal mechanisms that lead to emotional immersion and continuous behavior. To bridge this gap, the present study identifies users’ cognitive characteristics of virtual idol engagement as a core concept and examines how four factors—sensory stimuli, character attractiveness, content quality, and brand collaboration—affect users’ perceived values (emotional, social, and functional value). In addition, the study empirically verifies whether these perceived values play a mediating role in the formation of users’ behavioral intentions. Employing a quantitative research design, a structured survey was conducted with individuals who had prior experience engaging with virtual idols. A total of 819 valid responses were collected, and correlation analysis, reliability and validity testing, multiple regression analysis, and Sobel mediation testing were performed based on data measured using a five-point Likert scale. The analysis revealed that the four cognitive characteristics significantly and positively influenced all three dimensions of perceived value, which in turn exerted significant positive effects on behavioral intention. Notably, emotional value demonstrated the strongest impact on behavioral intention, indicating that emotional value serves as a key driving force behind users’ engagement with virtual idols. Furthermore, cognitive characteristics were found to indirectly enhance users’ sustained interest, voluntary participation, purchase intentions, and recommendation intentions through the mediating role of perceived value. Theoretically, this study overcomes the limitations of prior research that examined technological or emotional factors in isolation and systematically clarifies the multi-layered pathway linking cognitive characteristics, perceived value, and behavioral intention. By presenting an integrated process through which sensory stimuli, character appeal, content quality, and brand collaboration transform into behavioral responses via emotional experience, social interaction, and functional benefits, the study offers a more comprehensive and sophisticated explanatory framework for virtual idol user behavior. From a practical perspective, the findings provide strategic implications for virtual idol operations. In terms of cognitive characteristics, operators should enhance visual symbolism and voice recognition to improve users’ sensory identification, and strengthen emotional immersion and identity projection through stable character personalities and coherent narratives. Maintaining high content quality and continuous updates can stabilize user expectations, while culturally aligned brand collaborations can reinforce overall evaluation and trust. In terms of perceived value, operators should enhance emotional value through character storytelling and deep interactions, strengthen social value through community structures, fan co-creation, and participatory brand collaborations, and improve functional value by increasing content utility and platform stability. The interaction of these pathways effectively fosters long-term engagement, immersion, and behavioral intention, contributing not only to the commercial value of virtual idols but also to the sustainable development of the virtual idol ecosystem. Overall, this study empirically reveals how users’ cognitive characteristics and perceived values shape long-term engagement and immersion in virtual idol interactions, providing a theoretical and practical foundation for digital content experience design and user-centered operational strategies. Beyond commercial efficiency, the findings offer strategic insights into strengthening emotional and social connections between humans and virtual entities and fostering a sustainable digital ecosystem.

국문 초록 (Abstract)

AI와 디지털 미디어 기술의 급격한 융합은 가상과 현실의 경계를 허 물며 새로운 문화적 존재 형태를 만들어내고 있다. 그중에서도 버추얼 아이돌(Virtual Idol)은 인간의 감정 표현과 알고리즘 기반 기술이 결합 된 디지털 인격체로, 시각적 매체와 인터랙티브 플랫폼을 통해 이용자와 의 정서적 유대와 몰입 경험을 창출하고 있다. 이러한 현상은 단순한 기 술 발전의 결과를 넘어, 디지털 세대의 감정 교류, 자아 동일시, 그리고 문화 소비 방식의 변화를 상징하는 사회문화적 현상으로 주목받고 있다. 최근 버추얼 아이돌 산업은 엔터테인먼트, 게임, 광고, 브랜드 협업 등 다양한 영역으로 확산되며 하나의 종합적 콘텐츠 생태계로 발전하고 있다. 그러나 산업적 확장에 비해, 학문적으로는 여전히 “이용자의 심리 적 요인과 가치인식이 행동 의사결정에 미치는 영향”에 대한 이론적 분 석이 충분하지 않다. 분석에 따르면 주로 팬덤 형성이나 기술 구현의 표 면적 요인에 집중하였고, 이용자의 인지적 반응과 가치 평가 과정, 그리 고 그것이 감정적 몰입과 행동 지속성으로 이어지는 내적 메커니즘에 대 한 통합적 접근은 미흡하다. 따라서 본 연구는 버추얼 아이돌 이용자의 인지특성(Cognitive Characteristics)을 핵심 개념으로 설정하고, 감각 자극, 캐릭터 매력, 콘 텐츠 품질, 브랜드 콜라보레이션의 네 가지 요인이 이용자의 지각된 가 치(감정적 가치, 사회적 가치, 기능적 가치)에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지를 분석하였다. 아울러 이러한 지각된 가치가 이용자의 행동의도(Behavioral Intention) 형성과정에서 매개적 역할을 수행하는지를 실증적으로 검증하 였다. 연구 설계는 양적 연구방법에 기반하였으며, 버추얼 아이돌 이용 경험이 있는 응답자를 대상으로 구조화된 설문조사를 실시하였다. 총 819부의 유효 표본을 확보하였고, 5점 리커트 척도로 수집된 데이터를 바탕으로 상관분석, 신뢰도 및 타당도 검증, 다중회귀분석, Sobel 매개효 과 검정을 수행하였다. 분석 결과, 이용자의 네 가지 인지특성은 세 가지 지각된 가치 모두 에 유의한 정(+)적 영향을 미쳤으며, 세 가지 지각된 가치 또한 행동의 도에 유의한 정(+)적 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 특히 감정적 가치 는 행동의도에 가장 큰 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타나, 감정적 가치가 버 추얼 아이돌 이용행동의 핵심 동력임을 시사하였다. 또한 인지특성은 지 각된 가치를 매개로 하여 이용자의 지속적 관심, 자발적 참여, 구매 및 추천 의도를 간접적으로 강화하는 것으로 확인되었다. 이론적 측면에서 본 연구는 기존에 기술적 또는 정서적 요인을 부분 적으로만 다루어 온 한계를 극복하고, ‘인지특성–지각된 가치–행동의 도’로 이어지는 다층적 경로를 체계적으로 규명하였다. 감각 자극, 캐릭 터 매력, 콘텐츠 품질, 브랜드 콜라보레이션의 상호작용이 이용자의 감정 경험, 사회적 상호작용, 기능적 효익을 통해 실제 행동반응으로 전환되는 과정을 통합적으로 제시함으로써, 버추얼 아이돌 이용자 행동모형에 대 한 보다 정교하고 포괄적인 설명틀을 제공하였다. 실무적 측면에서 본 연구는 버추얼 아이돌 운영 전략을 제시한다. 먼 저 인지특성 측면에서, 운영자는 시각적 상징 체계와 음성 인지도를 강 화하여 이용자의 감각적 식별 능력을 향상시키고, 안정적이며 일관된 캐 릭터 성격과 연속적인 서사 구성을 통해 이용자의 감정 몰입과 정체성 투사를 강화해야 한다. 또한 콘텐츠의 고품질 유지와 지속적 업데이트를 통해 이용자의 경험 기대를 안정화하며, 캐릭터 포지셔닝과 문화적 적합 성을 고려한 브랜드 협업 전략을 통해 이용자의 전체적 평가와 신뢰를 향상시킬 수 있다. 둘째, 지각된 가치 측면에서, 운영자는 캐릭터 서사, 인간적인 성격 설정 및 깊이 있는 상호작용을 활용하여 이용자의 감성적 가치를 지속적으로 강화하고, 커뮤니티 구조, 팬 참여형 창작 활동 및 참 여 기반 브랜드 협업을 통해 사회적 가치를 높임으로써 집단적 정체성과 상호작용 동기를 증진해야 한다. 또한 콘텐츠의 기능성, 실용성 및 플랫폼 안정성을 강화하여 이용자의 기능적 가치 인식을 축적할 수 있다. 이 와 같이 다섯 가지 인지특성 최적화 경로와 세 가지 가치 강화 메커니즘 이 상호 작용함으로써, 이용자의 장기 참여, 몰입 및 행동의도를 효과적 으로 증대시킬 수 있으며, 이는 버추얼 아이돌의 상업적 가치 실현뿐만 아니라 이용자 가치 인식과 버추얼 아이돌 생태계의 지속 가능한 발전을 촉진한다. 종합적으로, 본 연구는 이용자의 인지특성과 가치 지각이 버추얼 아 이돌 상호작용에서 장기적 참여와 몰입을 형성하는 과정을 실증적으로 규명함으로써, 디지털 콘텐츠 경험 설계와 사용자 중심 운영 전략 수립 의 이론적·실무적 토대를 제공한다. 또한, 이러한 발견은 단순한 상업적 효율을 넘어, 인간과 가상 존재 간의 감정적·사회적 연결을 강화하고, 지 속 가능한 디지털 생태계 구축을 위한 전략적 통찰을 제공한다.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. 서론 ·················································································································1
• 1. 연구 배경 ·······································································································1
• 2. 연구 목적 ·······································································································7
• 3. 연구 범위 ·······································································································9
• Ⅱ. 이론적 배경 ································································································11
• 1. 버추얼 아이돌 ·····························································································11
• 1.1 버추얼 아이돌의 개념 ·········································································11
• 1.2 버추얼 아이돌의 발전 과정 ·······························································16
• 2. 버추얼 아이돌 이용자의 인지특성 ·························································30
• 2.1 버추얼 아이돌 이용자 인지특성의 개념 ·········································30
• 2.2 버추얼 아이돌 이용자의 인지특성 구성요소 ·································30
• 2.3 버추얼 아이돌 이용자의 인지특성에 관한 선행연구 ···················36
• 3. 지각된 가치 ·································································································45
• 3.1 지각된 가치의 개념 ·············································································45
• 3.2 지각된 가치의 구성 요소 ···································································46
• 3.3 지각된 가치의 선행연구 ·····································································50
• 4. 행동의도 ·······································································································53
• 4.1 행동의도의 개념 ···················································································53
• 4.2 행동의도의 선행연구 ···········································································54
• Ⅲ. 사례 연구: 일본 하츠네 미쿠, 한국 PLAVE, 중국 뤄톈이 ····· 57
• 1. 일본 사례: 하츠네 미쿠(Hatsune Miku) ··············································57
• 1.1 디자인 컨셉 ···························································································57
• 1.2 발전 역사 ·······························································································60
• 1.3 상업화 체계 ···························································································62
• 1.4 적용 사례 및 크로스미디어 활용 ·····················································65
• 1.5 효과 평가 및 연구 시사점 ·································································69
• 2. 한국 사례: PLAVE ···················································································70
• 2.1 디자인 컨셉 ···························································································70
• 2.2 발전 역사 ·······························································································71
• 2.3 상업화 체계 ···························································································74
• 2.4 적용 사례 및 크로스미디어 활용 ·····················································75
• 2.5 효과 평가 및 연구 시사점 ·································································77
• 3. 중국 사례: 루톈이 (Luo Tianyi) ····························································78
• 3.1 디자인 컨셉 ···························································································78
• 3.2 발전 역사 ·······························································································79
• 3.3 상업화 체계 ···························································································83
• 3.4 적용 사례 및 크로스미디어 활용 ·····················································84
• 3.5 효과 평가 및 연구 시사점 ·································································84
• 4. 사례 비교 및 종합 ·····················································································85
• Ⅳ. 연구설계 ······································································································87
• 1. 연구모형 ·······································································································87
• 2. 연구가설 설정 ·····························································································88
• 2.1 버추얼 아이돌 이용자의 인지특성과 감성적 가치의 관계 ·········88
• 2.2 버추얼 아이돌 이용자의 인지특성과 사회적 가치의 관계 ·········90
• 2.3 버추얼 아이돌 이용자의 인지특성과 기능적 가치의 관계 ·········92
• 2.4 버추얼 아이돌 이용자의 지각된 가치와 행동의도의 관계 ·········94
• 2.5 매개효과 가설 ·······················································································96
• 3. 변수의 조작적 정의 및 설문 구성 ·······················································100
• 3.1 변수의 조작적 정의 ···········································································100
• 3.2 설문 구성 ····························································································113
• 4. 조사 설계 및 자료 분석 방법 ·······························································115
• 4.1 조사 설계 ····························································································115
• 4.2 사전 조사 ····························································································115
• 4.3 본 조사 ································································································116
• 4.4 자료분석방법 ······················································································116
• Ⅴ. 실증 분석 ··································································································118
• 1. 인구통계학적 특성 ···················································································118
• 2. 측정도구의 타당도 및 신뢰도 분석 ·····················································120
• 2.1 타당도 분석 ························································································120
• 2.2 신뢰도 분석 ························································································121
• 3. 상관 분석 ···································································································123
• 4. 연구가설 검증결과 ···················································································124
• 4.1 이용자 인지특성과 감성적가치의 영향 관계 ·······························124
• 4.2 이용자 인지특성과 사회적 가치의 영향 관계 ·····························126
• 4.3 이용자 인지특성과 기능적 가치의 영향 관계 ·····························128
• 4.4 지각된 가치와 행동의도의 영향 관계 ···········································129
• 4.5 매개효과 분석 결과 ···········································································131
• 4.6 연구가설 검증결과 ············································································135
• Ⅵ. 결론 ·············································································································137
• 1. 연구요약 ····································································································137
• 2. 연구의 시사점 ···························································································139
• 3. 연구한계 및 향후 연구방향 ···································································144
• 참고문헌 ·········································································································146
• 부록 ·················································································································170
• Abstract ··········································································································181