Impact of multidimensional presence on user well-being in metaverse communities

Abstract

In metaverse communities, users engage in various activities, such as socializing, gaming, and exploration. Presence in such communities refers to the feeling of being there and being fully immersed. This study examines the role of various dimensions of presence (e.g., social, spatial, and self) in driving user well-being in metaverse communities. Moreover, the study tests the mediating roles of social connectedness and social support. The data set comprised responses from 357 metaverse users. Data were analyzed using multigroup analysis (MGA), necessary condition analysis, partial least squares path modeling, and artificial neural network analysis. Results show that social presence, spatial presence, and self-presence affect users' well-being in metaverse communities. Further, they indicate that spatial presence has a particularly strong impact on user well-being among extroverts and introverts. This study is one of the first to investigate how aspects of presence and user well-being interact inside metaverse communities. The practical implications of the results are discussed.