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

• In Event: Communication Issues in Health Campaigns

Abstract

In immersive virtual environments (IVEs), users may observe negative consequences of a risky health behavior in a personally involving way. In the context of an ongoing health campaign, IVEs coupled with pamphlets are proposed as an effective strategy to elicit greater personal relevance and involvement with the risk of soft drink consumption. Construal level theory guided the design of a 2 (other vs. self) x 2 (pamphlet only vs. pamphlet with IVEs) between-subjects experiment to reduce soft drinks consumption over one week. Immediately following exposure, tailoring the message to the self seemed to be effective in reducing intentions to consume soft drinks. The effect of tailoring dissipated after one week and measures of actual soft drinks consumption demonstrated that coupling IVEs with the pamphlet was more effective. Results prescribed a messaging strategy that incorporates both tailoring and coupling IVEs with traditional media to increase behavioral changes over time.

Author

• Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn, University of Georgia