Cross-dimensional cultural identity: a multi-dimensional empirical investigation of VTuber audience behavior through the lens of theory of planned behavior

Introduction: This study employs the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to investigate the key factors influencing audience intention to watch Virtual YouTubers (VTubers). Guided by the decomposition logic of the decomposed theory of planned behavior, twelve antecedent variables were systematically integrated to decompose the three core TPB dimensions-attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control-within VTuber consumption contexts. Among these, three domain-specific variables-virtual identity identification, ACG culture identity, and cross-cultural influence-were introduced to capture the unique cultural and psychological characteristics of VTuber audiences. Methods: Data were collected through an online survey platform, yielding 352 valid responses, and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results: The findings reveal that audience attitude and subjective norms significantly and positively influence watching intention, while perceived behavioral control exhibits a relatively weaker effect. Content professionalism and sense of virtual community emerge as the primary antecedents affecting attitude and subjective norms, indicating that audiences prioritize content quality and community connections over virtual identity identification. Time availability proves to be the most crucial determinant of perceived behavioral control, reflecting the constraints of attention economy on VTuber viewing behavior. Discussion: This study represents the first systematic application of DTPB in quantitative empirical research within the VTuber domain. Beyond contextual application, the findings reveal important boundary conditions: the unexpectedly weak effect of virtual identity identification challenges prevailing assumptions about avatar-based consumption, while the dominance of time constraints over economic barriers provides empirical evidence for attention economy dynamics in virtual entertainment contexts. The results offer both theoretical insights into TPB's applicability boundaries in emerging virtual content domains and practical implications for platform operation and content design strategies.