Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace

Does virtual reality increase the success of interventions? Comparing non-VR and VR Virtual-PRO programmes’ efficacy for the prevention of sexual harassment among adolescents

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Virtual-PRO is a bystander-based programme with a Virtual Reality (VR) component. The current study focuses on testing the effectiveness of the same programme without VR, where multimedia content is played as 2D video, to clarify the advantages of VR over traditional sources for the prevention of sexual harassment. A cluster RCT was carried out with three experimental conditions (control group, experimental VR, and experimental non-VR) and three different time points (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up), separated by three-month intervals. In the study, 847 students aged 12–17 years (M = 14.73; SD = 0.88) were randomly grouped into the experimental VR group (n = 286), experimental non-VR group (n = 268), and control group (n = 293). Linear mixed model analyses were performed using SPSS 29. At follow-up, the experimental non-VR group was found to score lower for verbal/visual victimisation, online victimisation, and moral disengagement than the control group. Moreover, hostile sexism scores remained stable in the non-VR experimental group and increased in the control group. No significant differences were found when comparing the experimental condition with and without VR for online and verbal/visual sexual victimisation, moral disengagement or sexist attitudes. The only difference found between the two experimental conditions was in intention to intervene as a bystander, for which scores increased in the experimental group with VR. The results of this study clarify the advantages of using VR as a tool to elicit attitudinal change in sexual harassment bystanders and to aid decision-making regarding the cost-benefit of universal interventions.

Self-comparison with influencers but not general Instagram use moderate upward and downward social comparisons to #fitspiration and #bodypositive images

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Using an image-reactivity task, this study examined whether changes in body image (BI) dissatisfaction were more closely associated with specific social media interactions than with overall time spent online. A sample of 327 college women (ages 18–36; M = 20.82, SD = 2.98) viewed images of fit, thin, and plus-size female body types (the independent variable), as well as control and distractor food images, on Instagram using their smartphones. Image presentations were randomized and counterbalanced across participants. After viewing each image type, participants reported their desire to eat (distractor items), emotional reactions (valence and arousal checks), and self-perceived control and BI satisfaction (the dependent variables). Following the task, participants completed a survey about their overall Instagram use and their tendency to engage in social comparisons with Instagram influencers. Results showed that viewing images of fit and thin women reduced participants’ sense of control and BI satisfaction compared to control images. In contrast, viewing plus-size images increased both control and satisfaction, with these effects being stronger among participants who frequently compared themselves to Instagram influencers. However, overall Instagram activity did not correlate with or influence these effects. These findings emphasize the significant role of influencer culture and suggest that promoting diverse body types on social media could improve women’s self-worth.

Artificial presence, real-life influence? Effects of CGI influencers on young adults’ health behavior intentions

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) influencers—also known as virtual influencers—are an increasingly influential phenomenon on social media. Some CGI influencers are presented as cartoon characters and are thus clearly recognizable as non-human. Other CGI influencers, however, are almost indistinguishable from real humans. Although CGIs can elicit parasocial interaction (PSI), we lack research distinguishing cartoon-look CGI influencers from human-look CGI influencers. Also, we do not know whether CGIs can lead to persuasive effects. This is particularly relevant regarding health topics because CGIs cannot have health issues. In an experimental study with a quota-based sample of N = 443 young adults (62.8% female) aged 16 to 26 from the United Kingdom, we compared the effects of a real human influencer, a human-look CGI influencer, and a cartoon-look CGI influencer advising about insomnia (i.e., sleeping problems) on young adults’ PSI and health behavior intentions. We found that PSI was strongest for the real human and weakest for the cartoon-look CGI influencer and was significantly positively related to young adults’ health behavior intentions. Personal affectedness by insomnia and gender did not moderate these relationships. Overall, findings suggest that the persuasive power of CGIs is limited, at least regarding topics such as health. Implications are discussed.

They shouldn’t be richer than me: How visual wealth exposure on social media increases relative deprivation

Xiumei Yan, Yu Fu, Feng Yang, Yang Han — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Previous research suggests there is a close link between social media use and individuals’ relative deprivation, but it remains unclear which specific activities on social media can increase individuals’ relative deprivation. Given that, three studies were conducted to examine how visual wealth exposure, a common phenomenon on social media, increased individuals’ relative deprivation, and the subsequent downstream consequences. By conducting an online questionnaire, Study 1 found a significantly positive relationship between visual wealth exposure on social media and relative deprivation, and upward social comparison played a mediating role between them. By conducting an online experiment, Study 2 found that participants in the wealth image exposure condition perceived higher relative deprivation than participants in the natural scenery image exposure condition, and upward social comparison played a mediating role between exposure condition and relative deprivation. The following Study 3 found that visual wealth exposure increased participants’ hostilities toward the rich via the mediating role of relative deprivation. Moreover, hostilities toward the rich further provoked aggressive behaviors. That is, visual wealth exposure increased participants’ aggressive behaviors via the chain-mediating role of relative deprivation and hostilities toward the rich. The present research deepens our understanding of how social media use increases individuals’ relative deprivation and social class antagonism, and also carries implications for how authorities alleviate the increasing conflicts between the poor and the rich in China-Mainland.

Understanding how best to host livestream shopping shows: The perspectives of persuasion and parasocial phenomena

Shiu-Li Huang, Yen-Chun Chen — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0200

The emergence of live streaming enables sellers and customers to interact more easily in real time and establish a close relationship. This study explores how the characteristics and addressing styles of livestream sellers affect viewers’ behavioral intention. The effects of parasocial interaction and the relationship between sellers and viewers are also examined. A conceptual model is designed from the perspectives of persuasion and parasocial phenomena. An Internet survey is conducted to test the proposed model. The results show that the expertise of a seller can positively influence viewers’ watch and purchase intentions. However, an attractive appearance cannot persuade viewers to purchase. The verbal and message addressing is more effective than bodily addressing to enhance parasocial interactions and further determines parasocial relationship and viewers’ behavioral intentions. The findings can help sellers know how best to host livestream shopping shows.