So far yet so near: Exploring the effects of immersion, presence, and psychological distance on empathy and prosocial behavior

Immersive media are often lauded for their ability to induce empathy and encourage prosocial behavior, yet the theoretical mechanisms underlying why immersion may lead to such effects remain underexplored. Guided by the Construal Level Theory (CLT), we propose two separate mediation routes to explain the relationship between immersion and prosocial behavior: place illusion route and self-plausibility route. An experiment with three immersion conditions (high immersion: immersive virtual reality; moderate immersion: 360-degree video in headset; and low immersion: 360-degree video on desktop) was conducted among university undergraduates (N = 244) to investigate the effects of immersion on presence, psychological distance, empathy, and intention to donate and volunteer. Results found support for the place illusion route, where the relationship between immersion and intention to volunteer and donate were serially mediated via physical presence, spatial distance, and empathy. Although the self-plausibility route was not supported, self-presence was positively correlated with empathy and intention to volunteer and donate. Our findings highlight the effectiveness of CLT in explaining the relationship between immersion and prosocial behavior, offering a novel approach to understanding the psychological effects of immersive media and their societal implications.