Purpose

This paper aims to explore the effectiveness of 360-degree virtual reality (VR) videos compared to traditional preview modes in shaping customer perceptions and behavioral intentions toward the hospitality service provider. Specifically, the study investigates how self-construal moderates this relationship, offering novel and nuanced understanding of the customer decision-making process in the hospitality sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Three experiments were carried out. Study 1 examined the impact of preview modes on customers’ behavioral intentions. Study 2 examined the psychological mechanism of mental imagery and being hooked in the relationship between preview modes and behavioral intentions. Study 3 examined the moderating role of self-construal in the relationship between preview modes and behavioral intentions.

Findings

The study findings revealed that 360-degree VR videos are more effective than traditional preview modes in determining customers’ behavioral intentions. Mental imagery and being hooked explain this relationship. Furthermore, customers with highly independent self-construal evaluate 360-degree VR videos more favorably, while those with highly interdependent self-construal evaluate traditional preview modes more positively.

Practical implications

The research indicates that adopting VR applications can offer competitive advantage for hospitality service providers. The study findings provide hospitality providers with insights to tailor their marketing strategies by selecting preview modes that align with the psychological profiles of the customers.

Originality/value

The originality of the study lies in its pioneering efforts to explore how self-construal shapes customer responses to different preview modes. Furthermore, this study reveals the importance of psychological constructs in understanding the impact of VR applications on customer behaviors.

中文翻译：

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虚拟现实与传统预览：自我解释在客户决策中的作用

 目的

本文旨在探讨 360 度虚拟现实 (VR) 视频与传统预览模式相比，在塑造客户对酒店服务提供商的看法和行为意图方面的有效性。具体来说，该研究调查了自我认知如何调节这种关系，为酒店业的客户决策过程提供新颖而细致的理解。

设计/方法论/途径

进行了三个实验。研究 1 研究了预览模式对客户行为意图的影响。研究2检验了心理意象的心理机制以及预览模式与行为意图之间的关系。研究3检验了自我构念在预览模式和行为意图之间的关系中的调节作用。

 发现

研究结果显示，360度VR视频比传统预览模式更能有效判断顾客的行为意图。心理意象和上瘾解释了这种关系。此外，具有高度独立自我构念的客户对360度VR视频的评价更加积极，而具有高度相互依存自我构念的客户对传统预览模式的评价更加积极。

 实际影响

研究表明，采用 VR 应用程序可以为酒店服务提供商提供竞争优势。研究结果为酒店服务提供商提供了见解，通过选择符合客户心理特征的预览模式来定制营销策略。

 原创性/价值

该研究的原创性在于其开创性地探索自我认知如何影响客户对不同预览模式的反应。此外，这项研究揭示了心理结构在理解 VR 应用对客户行为的影响方面的重要性。