Using augmented reality (AR) to increase risk perception of E-cigarettes among young adults: From the perspective of construal level theory

E-cigarette use has surged among youth despite numerous health risks. Users often have inaccurate perceptions of the harms of e-cigarettes due to a lack of knowledge, delayed health consequences, and underestimating personal susceptibility. This paper, consisting of two experiments, examines if and how augmented reality (AR) technologies, which bridge the gap between virtual and physical realities, can increase e-cigarette risk perception by reducing psychological distance. Study 1, which compared AR and non-AR scenarios, found that AR could significantly enhance interoceptive awareness and reduce temporal and hypothetical distances, boosting perceptions of risk likelihood, susceptibility, and severity. Study 2 compared self-focused AR to non-self-focused AR. Both increased perceived risk likelihood and severity, but self-focused AR was more effective in decreasing social distance and raising risk susceptibility.