Ahn Sun Joo Grace, Hahm Jung Min, Johnsen Kyle
Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
School of Engineering, Driftmier Engineering Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
Media Psychol. 2019;22(4):626-652. doi: 10.1080/15213269.2018.1492939. Epub 2018 Jul 24.
Virtual simulations allow users to feel and manipulate objects as they would in the physical world. Guided by exemplification theory and risk communication research, a virtual exemplar was developed to allow users to feel the weight of the caloric density of unhealthy snacks (e.g., potato chips) to heighten risk perceptions on snack choices. A 3 (base-rate statistics, print exemplar, virtual exemplar) × 3 (Time 1, Time 2, Time 3) mixed design experiment ( = 152) compared the effect of three mediated modes of delivering health information at baseline, immediately after, and 1 week after treatments. Virtual exemplars led to greater spatial presence, issue involvement, and recommended health behavior than did base-rate statistics or print exemplars, but had no effect on perceived vividness. Heightened perceived susceptibility following virtual exemplars persisted for 1 week. Findings emphasized the importance of spatial presence elicited by an exemplar in heightening the perceived susceptibility of health risks both immediately after and 1 week after exposure. The role of spatial presence and vividness in the context of virtual exemplars that afford the illusion of firsthand experiences is discussed and compared against traditional exemplification research that has focused on the impact of secondhand experiences.
虚拟模拟能让用户像在现实世界中一样感受和操控物体。在示例理论和风险沟通研究的指导下，开发了一种虚拟示例，让用户感受不健康零食（如薯片）热量密度的重量，以提高对零食选择的风险认知。一项3（基础比率统计、印刷示例、虚拟示例）×3（时间1、时间2、时间3）混合设计实验（ = 152）比较了在基线、治疗后立即以及治疗后1周三种传递健康信息的媒介模式的效果。与基础比率统计或印刷示例相比，虚拟示例带来了更强的空间临场感、问题参与度和推荐的健康行为，但对感知生动性没有影响。虚拟示例后增强的感知易感性持续了1周。研究结果强调了示例引发的空间临场感在提高接触后立即和1周后健康风险的感知易感性方面的重要性。讨论了空间临场感和生动性在提供第一手体验错觉的虚拟示例背景下的作用，并与专注于二手体验影响的传统示例研究进行了比较。
