Customer immersion in virtual environment: an investigation of antecedents and outcomes

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to propose and empirically investigate an integrated conceptual framework that illustrates how bodily and mental factors, namely embodiment and mental imagery respectively, stimulate users’ mobile augmented reality applications-enhanced customer immersion - a psychological state of being engaged in, engrossed in and immersed in a virtual environment which, in turn, facilitates customers’ attitude and behavioral intention towards these apps based on the combination of embodied cognition and Stimuli-Organism-Response framework (S-O-R, hereafter). Moreover, the moderating role of personal innovativeness in the relationships between MAR apps-enhanced customer immersion and its antecedents was revealed in this study. Two mobile augmented reality applications (MAR apps, hereafter) consisting of YouCam Makeup application and Formex watches application were chosen for data collection in survey method. Based on dataset of 332 customers, partial least square structural equation modeling version 3.2.8 statistical software (PLS-SEM, hereafter) was used to analyze the data and test the proposed hypotheses. The results of study pointed out both of embodiment and mental imagery have a positive impact on customer immersion. After experiencing, customers are more concerned in attitude toward MAR apps, rather than behavioral intention regarding MAR apps. In addition, the current study showed that personal innovativeness moderating the relationship between embodiment and customer immersion. One of contributions is that the combination of the theory of embodied cognition and S-O-R framework to explain mechanism that how technology-enabled factors, psychological embodiment and mental imagery, influence customer immersion, in turn enhancing behavioral intention regarding MAR apps. Other valuable contribution is that this study has highlighted the importance of customer immersion, embodiment, mental imagery with multiple dimensions. In addition, personal innovativeness is a crucial moderator in the relationship between embodiment and customer immersion using MAR apps.