Increasing immersive virtual reality platform loyalty: The role of embodiment

Abstract

This research introduces embodiment as a novel driver of immersive virtual reality (VR) platform loyalty. Embodiment refers to users’ experience of inhabiting and controlling avatars’ bodies, facilitated by the real-time mapping of their physical movements onto avatars. Existing literature predominantly conceptualizes embodiment from a cognitive perspective, focusing on how users interpret their relationship with avatars mentally. However, it has largely overlooked the corporeal perspective—the role of users’ bodily practices in avatar control and virtual activity participation. To address this gap, we reconceptualize embodiment and propose its two categories, corporeal embodiment and cognitive embodiment. Building on this reconceptualization, we develop a theoretical model grounded in the embodied cognition theory and the interactionist theory of place attachment to examine the impact of embodiment on platform loyalty. Empirical results from a two-wave survey demonstrate that embodiment enhances platform loyalty through increased virtual world awareness, cognitive absorption, and virtual world attachment. This study advances the theoretical understanding of embodiment and provides practical insights for VR platform developers seeking to enhance user engagement and retention.