Effects of immersive stories on prosocial attitudes and willingness to help: testing psychological mechanisms

In recent years, the journalism and marketing industry has seen an increasing use of immersive stories, in the format of 360° videos and virtual reality. However, the impact of immersive stories on individuals’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors is understudied. Drawing upon literature in narrative persuasion and immersive media, this study examined the persuasive effects and underlying psychological mechanisms of immersive stories on prosocial attitudes and behavioral willingness to help. Findings from a laboratory experiment (N = 216) indicated that stories presented in immersive virtual (vs. traditional mediated) environments led to a higher level of spatial and social presence, which intensified users’ transportation and identification. The enhanced transportation led to less counterarguing and then promoted prosocial attitudes. These findings have important theoretical contributions to the study of persuasion in immersive virtual environments.