Short answer
Design metaverse experiences to be visually rich and highly interactive, ensuring that the user's journey is primarily driven by enjoyment and a sense of presence, which will foster positive attitudes and future engagement.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Journal of Consumer Behaviour (2025)
- Method
- Meta-analysis and meta-regression
- Sample
- 39,580 participants
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Consumer immersion in the metaverse is significantly influenced by the vividness and interactivity of the virtual environment, with enjoyment acting as the primary mediator between the feeling of presence and a positive attitude towards the experience. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Journal of Consumer Behaviour. Using Meta-analysis and meta-regression with 39,580 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design metaverse experiences to be visually rich and highly interactive, ensuring that the user's journey is primarily driven by enjoyment and a sense of presence, which will foster positive attitudes and future engagement.
Metaverse Immersion Driven by Vividness and Interactivity, Mediated by Enjoyment
Consumer immersion in the metaverse is significantly influenced by the vividness and interactivity of the virtual environment, with enjoyment acting as the primary mediator between the feeling of presence and a positive attitude towards the experience.
Journal of Consumer Behaviour · 2025
Key Findings
- 01Interactivity and vividness drive telepresence.
- 02Telepresence leads to metaverse immersiveness.
- 03Enjoyment, not flow, mediates the relationship between telepresence and attitude.
- 04Older consumers, VR headset users, and online retail participants show a stronger telepresence-to-attitude link.
- 05Attitude-to-intention link is stronger for online retail, AR use, and hedonic products.
Application
Design takeaway
Design metaverse experiences to be visually rich and highly interactive, ensuring that the user's journey is primarily driven by enjoyment and a sense of presence, which will foster positive attitudes and future engagement.
How to apply
When designing a metaverse experience, conduct user testing focused on perceived vividness, ease of interaction, and overall enjoyment. Analyze how these factors correlate with user satisfaction and their stated intent to return or engage further.
Project actions
- 01When designing a virtual environment, consider how visual detail and responsiveness can enhance user presence.
- 02In user testing, ask questions that probe for enjoyment and feelings of immersion, not just task success.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Large sample size provides robust statistical power.
- +Meta-analysis approach synthesizes findings from multiple studies, increasing generalizability.
Limitations
The findings are based on aggregated data, and specific design choices within a particular metaverse might yield different results. The definition and implementation of 'vividness' and 'interactivity' can vary significantly.
Reliability & validity
The meta-analysis approach enhances the reliability and validity by aggregating findings from multiple studies, reducing the impact of individual study biases. However, the validity depends on the quality of the original studies included.
Think critically
How might the 'hedonic vs. utilitarian' product distinction and the 'tool vs. target' functionality of the metaverse influence the design of user interfaces and marketing strategies within these virtual spaces?
Design Principles
"Maximize user enjoyment and sense of presence through vivid and interactive virtual environments to cultivate positive consumer attitudes and intentions."
Understanding the psychological drivers of metaverse engagement is crucial for businesses looking to develop effective marketing and user experience strategies. By optimizing for vividness, interactivity, and fostering enjoyment, designers and marketers can create more compelling and engaging virtual environments that lead to positive consumer attitudes and intentions.
What This Means for Your Design
To make people like using the metaverse, make it look good and easy to interact with. The most important thing is that they have fun, not just get lost in what they are doing. How much they like it affects if they want to use it again.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the psychological factors influencing user engagement in virtual environments or digital product design.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights that user immersion and positive attitudes within metaverse environments are significantly driven by the perceived vividness and interactivity of the platform, with enjoyment acting as a key mediator. These factors, in turn, influence a user's intention to engage further, suggesting that design efforts should prioritize creating rich, responsive, and enjoyable virtual experiences.
Source
Journal of Consumer Behaviour
Consumer Behaviour in the Metaverse: Empirical Insights From a Meta‐Analysis
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about metaverse immersion driven by vividness and interactivity, mediated by enjoyment?
- Design metaverse experiences to be visually rich and highly interactive, ensuring that the user's journey is primarily driven by enjoyment and a sense of presence, which will foster positive attitudes and future engagement. Evidence: Journal of Consumer Behaviour (2025).
- Why does "Metaverse Immersion Driven by Vividness and Interactivity, Mediated by Enjoyment" matter for design?
- Understanding the psychological drivers of metaverse engagement is crucial for businesses looking to develop effective marketing and user experience strategies. By optimizing for vividness, interactivity, and fostering enjoyment, designers and marketers can create more compelling and engaging virtual environments that lead to positive consumer attitudes and intentions.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Design metaverse experiences to be visually rich and highly interactive, ensuring that the user's journey is primarily driven by enjoyment and a sense of presence, which will foster positive attitudes and future engagement.
- What were the main findings?
- Interactivity and vividness drive telepresence.. Telepresence leads to metaverse immersiveness.. Enjoyment, not flow, mediates the relationship between telepresence and attitude.. Older consumers, VR headset users, and online retail participants show a stronger telepresence-to-attitude link.
- What research method was used?
- Meta-analysis and meta-regression with 39,580 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Journal of Consumer Behaviour.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a metaverse experience, conduct user testing focused on perceived vividness, ease of interaction, and overall enjoyment. Analyze how these factors correlate with user satisfaction and their stated intent to return or engage further.
- What are the limitations?
- The meta-analysis relies on existing studies, which may have varying methodologies and contexts. The rapid evolution of metaverse technology means findings may need continuous re-evaluation.