The effect of immersive virtual reality on mental imagery and donation intention: the moderating role of cybersickness

Purpose This current research aims to examine the effect of immersive 360° VR video (versus non-immersive) on mental imagery and donation intention in the context of charitable giving and to investigate the moderating effect of cybersickness. Design/methodology/approach A laboratory experiment was carried out with 288 students, with a between-subjects design, manipulating the level of immersion of 360° video (immersive versus non-immersive), describing the daily life of a homeless person. Data were collected at two times (before and after exposure to 360° immersive video) and compared with a control condition (non-immersive video). Findings The empirical results of mixed-analysis of variance (ANOVA) reveal that the exposure of immersive 360° virtual reality (VR) video reports a higher level of mental imagery than non-immersive video. However, no significant difference was found for donation intention. The moderating mediation analyses highlight that mental imagery significantly and positively influences donation intention. Indeed, it has been proven that the cybersickness moderates significantly and negatively the relationship between immersive 360° video (versus non-immersive) and mental imagery. Originality/value These results lead to important, useful insights for social marketers on using immersive VR as an effective tool to increase mental imagery. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the importance of mental imagery in predicting people’s intention to donate to charities. The current study is noteworthy because it is the first to investigate the moderating effect of cybersickness on the link between immersive 360° VR video (versus non-immersive) and mental imagery.