Uses and effects of AR- and VR-based animal embodiment: A field study at a beach music festival

Amid growing ecological threats to wildlife, organizations are increasingly exploring multimedia solutions to spur action. One such strategy involves enabling audiences to embody threatened wildlife (animal embodiment) via augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR). Despite AR/VR’s capacity to visualize threats onto one’s virtual body, little is understood about how these platforms differ in their uses and effects. Thus, A field study was conducted at a music festival where attendees ( N = 99) evaluated custom-designed AR and VR games enabling animal embodiment. Results showed clear modality preferences for the AR game, though both AR and VR elicited high levels of connection, or body transfer (BT), with the animal body. BT also predicted pro-environmental behavior intentions, though this effect was strongest for direct (donations, volunteering) rather than indirect actions (social media advocacy). Results yield insight into the requirements for BT with animal bodies and establish support for animal embodiment as a viable environmental communications strategy.