| By: |
Pierre-Henry Leveau (GRANEM - Groupe de Recherche Angevin en Economie et Management - UA - Université d'Angers - Institut Agro Rennes Angers - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement);
Sandra Camus (GRANEM - Groupe de Recherche Angevin en Economie et Management - UA - Université d'Angers - Institut Agro Rennes Angers - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement) |
| Abstract: |
The development of virtual reality (VR) applications provides users to
physically interact in the virtual environment as in a real experience. This
new experience offers for brands a new way to promote their offer to
consumers, becoming the avatar and accomplish goals based on gamification
mechanisms like video games. While actors from different professional fields
are developing VR experiences (VRE), especially in the tourism industry,
several works has focused on the role of VRE on enjoyment but not between the
role played by gamification between the feeling of embodiment (resulting of
the VRE sensorimotor interactions) and behavioral intentions. The research
aims to measure the effects of the feeling of embodiment during a VR tourism
experience on consumers' behavioral intentions and the role of the challenges
level offered as moderator. Results of the experimental (n=200), where the
user embodies a kayaker exploring Antarctica, confirm that the feeling of
embodiment induces positive behavioral intentions towards the discovered
tourist destination. More specifically, a greater intensity in the level of
challenges offered to achieve the virtual experience moderates with greater
intensity the relationship between feeling of embodiment and behavioral
intentions. On a theoretical level, research enrich literature in marketing
through the concept of embodiment, never used before. The study also makes
recommendations to professionals and VR application developers on the positive
effects of VRE directly related to the feeling of embodiment as well as the
challenges offered. Finally, the study sets out certain limits to follow for
further research in the field of marketing. |
| Keywords: |
virtual reality, embodiment, gamification, challenges, behavioral intentions, experiential marketing |
| Date: |
2023–04–24 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04081149&r=tur |