Understanding How Immersive Media Enhance Prosociality: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature on the relationship between immersive media and prosociality, specifically in the discipline of social issues. The search was conducted in January 2023 and included research published up to and including 2022. Both parts of the review consider 43 studies. For the meta-analysis, by combining these studies we obtained a total sample size of 5,390 participants. This systematic literature review mainly explores the types of immersive technology that have been used to create the immersive media stimuli considered in the studies and the types of mediated experiences elicited by these productions. Separate meta-analyses were also conducted to explore the moderating role of these variables. The results demonstrate that immersive media can have a significant positive impact on prosociality with a medium effect size. However, this effect can be moderated by the type of immersive experience elicited and by the prosocial outcome being evaluated.