To give or not to give: Examining the prosocial effects of a 360° video endorsing a clean water charity

This study examines the prosocial effects of virtual reality (VR) technology on donation behavior, using a 360° video documentary supporting the nongovernmental organization Charity: Water. Previous research has shown how VR can be used as a way to evoke empathy towards other people. There is, however, limited research on how this technology can be used to elicit more donations for charitable organizations. This paper aims to investigate whether the use of an emotion-inducing 360° video in VR leads to higher donation rates. We conducted a between-participants experiment and collected data from 150 young adults (age 18–25). Results reveal how VR – and especially empathy – significantly impacts donation intentions. Although donation intentions were found to be higher after watching the VR video, many participants were skeptical about making an actual donation. Implications and future research regarding the capabilities of VR technology in eliciting donations and resolving donation uncertainty are discussed.