Incorporating Immersive Virtual Environments in Health Promotion Campaigns: A Construal Level Theory Approach

• Published in: Health communication Vol. 30; no. 6; pp. 545 - 556
• Main Author: Ahn, Sun Joo (Grace)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 03.06.2015; Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Behavior modification; Carbonated Beverages - adverse effects; Carbonated Beverages - utilization; Female; Health Behavior; Health promotion; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Intention; Male; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - prevention & control; Psychological Theory; Risk Assessment; Risk-Taking; Soft drinks; User-Computer Interface; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1041-0236; 1532-7027; 1532-7027
• DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2013.869650

In immersive virtual environments (IVEs), users may observe negative consequences of a risky health behavior in a personally involving way via digital simulations. In the context of an ongoing health promotion campaign, IVEs coupled with pamphlets are proposed as a novel messaging strategy to heighten personal relevance and involvement with the issue of soft-drink consumption and obesity, as well as perceptions that the risk is proximal and imminent. The framework of construal level theory guided the design of a 2 (tailoring: other vs. self) × 2 (medium: pamphlet only vs. pamphlet with IVEs) between-subjects experiment to test the efficacy in reducing the consumption of soft drinks over 1 week. Immediately following exposure, tailoring the message to the self (vs. other) seemed to be effective in reducing intentions to consume soft drinks. The effect of tailoring dissipated after 1 week, and measures of actual soft-drink consumption 1 week following experimental treatments demonstrated that coupling IVEs with the pamphlet was more effective. Behavioral intention was a significant predictor of actual behavior, but underlying mechanisms driving intentions and actual behavior were distinct. Results prescribed a messaging strategy that incorporates both tailoring and coupling IVEs with traditional media to increase behavioral changes over time.