Effect of 360-Degree Virtual Reality Fundraising Campaign on Public Participation in Social Causes: The Role of Presence, Empathy, and Issue Involvement

Abstract

Objectives Nonprofit organizations are increasingly turning to immersive virtual reality (VR) technologies to attract public attention and expand their prosocial businesses. While focusing on the water supply issue in developing countries, the present study explores the condition and mechanism through which an immersive VR fundraising campaign induces public participation and the role of issue involvement, which determines the effectiveness of VR. Methods A lab experiment was conducted with 74 participants. Results The experiment yielded the following results: First, the 360-degree VR video generated a strong sense of presence but failed to evoke an empathic response from the audience. The effect that the storytelling platform had on empathy was moderated by users’ issue involvement. While the level of empathy significantly predicted participants’ intention to donate, the sense of presence predicted their intention to share the video. Conclusions The findings from the present study provide implications that can help guide campaign practitioners in when and how to adopt immersive technologies in nonprofit sectors to enhance public engagement and support.