Emotional Response to Extended Realities: The Effects of Augmented and Virtual Technologies in a Shopping Context

Extended reality (XR) technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual (VR) are facing mixed expectations. XR is often touted to offer deeply engrossing experiences but it can also lead cybersickness, disappointment, frustration. Moreover, research has not kept pace with how these may affect users' emotions. Therefore, understand emotions in XR, this study employs a 2 (virtual: yes vs. no) ×2 (augmented: between-subject experiment (N = 162) the shopping context. Effects on assessed by measuring changes emotional valence examining them using Median Tests exploratory data analysis. Results suggest that responses similar those physical store. However, there an unexpected effect of augmented where negative markedly vary. Implications presented both for retail businesses simulations, emotionally engaging immersive journalism psychotherapy.