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As communication technologies have developed, virtual reality (VR) has become increasingly popular. VR is an environment created by computers or other media that gives the illusion of being in a real environment; VR can also be referred to as a virtual experience (Biocca, 1992). A virtual experience is considered as the psychological and emotional state that arises during interaction with a three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment (Li et al., 2001). Based on previous research (e.g. Daugherty & Biocca, 2005; Daugherty et al., 2008; Fiore et al., 2005), virtual experiences involve the concepts of immersion, user-controlled interactivity, and simulation. Regarding immersion, it refers to the extent to which the illusion of reality can be delivered to the senses of a human participant through media (Slater & Wilbur, 1997). Waterworth and Waterworth (2001) indicated that the degree of immersion is determined by the technology used to develop the VR environment; the sense of immersion provided by a VR head-mounted display (HMD) is superior to that provided by a desktop VR experience. Users can experience 3D virtual environments simulated by computer systems by using an HMD. In an HMD, a location tracker transmits the user’s location and perspective information to the computer, which then modifies the output of the virtual image accordingly. In addition, the objects in a virtual scene can be controlled using gloves. In a desktop VR experience, the virtual environment is created by software installed on a personal computer and displayed on a computer screen. This enables users to experience VR through devices such as a keyboard (McLellan, 1996). Applying VR to advertising can absorb consumers in brand communication, and to a certain extent, VR can provide a user with personal control over their advertising experience (Martin, 2017).
With respect to user-controlled interactivity in virtual environment, user-controlled interactivity refers to the interaction or input from a user that determines the user’s experience (Spielmann & Mantonakis, 2018). In a virtual experience, the sense of being in control of a product enables consumers to gain a compelling impression of both the advertisement and the product (Tian et al., 2014). In addition to a sense of immersion and control, stimulation is crucial in virtual experiences. Daugherty and Biocca (2005) suggested that consumers have meaningful experiences in product examination during virtual experiences that are similar to direct experiences. This is because the interactivity and user control provided by visual simulation yield stimulation. According to the excitation-transfer theory proposed by Zillmann (1996), emotional behaviors and experiences can be enhanced through a combination of the residual arousal or excitation experienced during previous stimulations and the excitatory response to existing simulations. Therefore, the arousal generated by a single emotion-inducing stimulus can be transferred to another stimulus, causing the emotional arousal stimulated by the second stimulus to be stronger than the preexisting emotional arousal. This concept can be accurately illustrated by the feelings experienced on a roller coaster. The strong stimulation generated by the roller coaster’s speed and sharp turns, despite causing nervousness and anxiety, can also foster perceived enjoyment and then induce better attitude toward this experiment.
Telepresence is also a dimension of VR, which can be defined as a stimulated or real environment in which users can participate in experiences that mediate their perception of an environment (Steuer, 1992). Telepresence is considered to entail a sense of presence or a nonmediated perceptual illusion (Lombard & Ditton, 1997). Telepresence is the sense of immersion experienced in a mediated environment rather than a physical environment (Biocca, 1997). Therefore, telepresence can be considered the direct experience of a simulated perception (Coyle & Thorson, 2001). Telepresence is a crucial concept in VR because it enables users to generate meaningful memories through a virtual experience in a virtual environment, which can induce behavioral responses in a real environment. Furthermore, the attitudes and behaviors generated in VR can also affect real-world (Bailey & Witmer, 1994).