Despite growing interest in studying the metaverse, a theory-driven investigation into the factors that contribute to an enjoyable metaverse experience remains scarce. The current study examined the impacts of avatar identification, social engagement, and avatar customization on users' enjoyment of the metaverse based on the impression management theory. A total of 301 metaverse users were recruited for the study. The hypothesized models of mediation effect of social engagement and moderation effect of avatar customization were tested between avatar identification and enjoyment. Results indicated that social engagement mediates the relationship between avatar identification and enjoyment in metaverse participation. Furthermore, the significant moderation effect implied that the degree of avatar customization affected the relationship between avatar identification and enjoyment in the metaverse. Empirical evidence from this study contributes to theorizing the transformative role of social engagement and conditional effects based on avatar customization in shaping a positive emotion (i.e., enjoyment) from a metaverse experience. The findings allow researchers and practitioners to gain an initial understanding of the factors contributing to a favorable metaverse experience.

While social interaction and play in a VR environment are becoming ever more popular, little is known about how social VR games affect users. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of several contingent factors in social VR games by modeling the relationships between involvement, well-being, depression, self-esteem, and social connectedness. A conditional process-moderated mediation model of the measured variables was analyzed with 220 pieces of collected data. The result showed that: (1) the direct effect of involvement on well-being was significant, and (2) the index of moderated mediation involving depression, self-esteem, and social connectedness was significant. We conclude that high levels of involvement in social VR games by socially isolated users with low self-esteem can negatively affect their well-being. The findings of this study contribute in several ways to our understanding of the effect of social VR games upon users and provide important practical implications.

In this study, the effect of sense of suspense on flow experience, perceived fun in sports, and intention to use virtual reality platforms for the sport participation were examined. An experiment was implemented to compare gamified virtual reality experiences where a sense of suspense was stimulated by outcome uncertainty. Virtual reality sports content programmed with artificial intelligence was developed for experimentation. A multivariate analysis of covariance analysis was conducted to test established hypotheses. The experimental group with a higher sense of suspense presented higher flow, fun, and usage intention. While most studies have centered on one’s response to the entity that stimulates suspense, this study emphasizes the significance of gamification using suspense to induce targeted behavioral intentions. The authors further discuss the implications to scholars and practitioners.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of background music on consumer's psychological and physiological responses when watching sports advertisements. We investigated how consumers' exposure to background music affects emotional arousal, attention, brand attitude and purchase intentions; and further tested consumers' information processing by using the same measures. Effects of music on viewer responses were hypothesized using arousal theory while the information processing was hypothesized using hierarchy-of-effects model.Design/methodology/approach: We employed a between-subjects experimental design with random assignment. Fifty-four participants were recruited with 27 in an experimental group and 27 in a control group. Quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) and self-report measures were used to assess information processing. A multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to compare the mean differences of variables between the groups. Partial least squares algorithm and bootstrapping were performed to further explore the relationships among the measures.Findings: Mean differences indicated that the background music exposed group's emotional arousal, attention, brand attitude and purchase intention were significantly higher than those of the non-exposure group. Path analysis showed that the level of arousal induced by watching sports advertisements affected attention, attention affected brand attitude and brand attitude affected purchase intention. Indirect paths from arousal to brand attitude and attention to purchase intention were significant.Originality/value: This study provides practical implications for sports marketers regarding methods to increase the effectiveness of sport advertisement. Results might contribute theoretically to the sports advertisement field by demonstrating the relationship between physiological and marketing-effect factors. Our method of measuring physiological response using qEEG is also expected to influence physiological measurement in sports marketing.

Purpose: Despite the negative effects of toxicity on various aspects of esports communities, gamers continue to enthusiastically show their pride and engage with the game. Based on the stress and coping theory, the current study aims to shed light on how esports gamers cope with toxicity to develop toxicity tolerance by the mediation effect of positive reappraisal coping strategy.Design/methodology/approach: A total of 456 gamers were included in the analysis. Structural equation modeling was performed to evaluate the hypothesized model. Gender differences in the toxicity-coping process were investigated using multi-group analysis.Findings: The findings revealed the full mediation effect of positive reappraisal on the relationship between toxicity and toxicity tolerance, especially for male gamers. The empirical evidence of this study contributes to theorizing the transformative role of positive reappraisal in developing positive consumption outcomes when esports gamers experience toxicity in the game. The multi-group analysis provided further insights into differentiating the applicability and effectiveness of positive reappraisal based on gender.Originality/value: The findings contributed to sport management and communication literature by allowing researchers and practitioners to move beyond a preventive coping mindset by facilitating a positive coping environment that encourages gamers to interpret the conversation and messages in a more positive manner.