Shared Awe, Greater Awe in Virtual Reality (VR) Together: How Multi-Users and Viewing Direction Influence Prosocial and Self-Improvement Through Social Presence and Awe

Awe, a self-transcendent emotion, can foster social connectedness, prosociality, and self-improvement. Although virtual reality (VR) is an effective medium for inducing awe, little research has examined how users’ viewing direction and social context shape awe experiences. Drawing on grounded cognition theory and theories of collective assemblies and collective effervescence, this study employed a 2 (viewing direction: looking up vs. looking down) × 2 (social context: solo vs. multiplayer) experimental design. Results showed that experiencing awe-inducing scenery with others increased self-improvement motivation through a serial mediation pathway of social presence and perceived vastness. Looking upward also enhanced self-improvement motivation compared to looking downward. However, viewing direction did not affect prosocial intentions, nor did it moderate the indirect effects of social context on outcomes. Social presence mediated the effects of social context on both a) prosocial intentions and b) self-improvement motivation. These findings identify social context and viewing direction as important factors in understanding VR-induced awe.