JoCTEC

Yoon-Joo Lee

Washington State University (Correspondence: yoon.j.lee@wsu.edu)

Mina Park

Kangwon National University

David E. Silva

Kent State University

Jinho Joo

Boise State University

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Citation: Lee, Y., Park, M., Silva, D. E., & Joo, J. (2022). Power users’ branded virtual reality experience: A preliminary study. Journal of Communication Technology, 5(3), 53-77. https://doi.org/10.51548/joctec-2022-013

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Abstract: Virtual reality advertising campaigns allow consumers to interact with companies in a novel way. This study examined how individual differences in power usage (confidence using technology in innovative and functional ways) and the trust-schema (trustworthiness perception of a company) interact to affect consumers’ experience of control, attitudinal outcomes, and behavioral intentions (sharing their VR experience). The findings revealed that power users are more likely to recommend VR experiences, have a positive attitude toward VR experiences, and share their experiences, than non-power users. However, these effects were moderated by consumers’ trust-schema levels. Power users were less sensitive to the effect of trust-schema than non-power users. The implications of the findings and future studies on the emerging metaverse were further discussed.

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Keywords: branded virtual reality, power users, trust schema