The long-term effect of repeated exposure to degraded nature via immersive virtual reality on environmental awareness and pro-conservation behavioral intention: A longitudinal approach

Immersive virtual reality is increasingly being used as a tool for promoting environmental awareness, particularly to strengthen engagement with nature. However, most research has focused on the short-term effects of a single exposure, neglecting the issue of sustainability and the potential reinforcement of effects through repeated exposure. Furthermore, few studies have examined the role of affective factors such as love and care for nature in this context. The aim of this study was to examine short- and long-term differences in levels of environmental awareness and pro-conservation behavioral intention, depending on repeated (vs. single) exposure to immersive VR depicting degraded nature environments, taking into account love and care for nature as moderators. A laboratory experiment was conducted with 171 students randomly assigned to conditions of single or repeated exposure to immersive virtual reality. Data was collected at two separate times: immediately after exposure and two months later. The results indicate that, in the long term, environmental awareness varies depending on the exposure type, with higher levels observed after repeated exposure compared to a single exposure. However, no significant difference was observed for pro-conservation behavioral intention. Environmental awareness appears to fully mediate the relationship between exposure type and pro-conservation behavioral intention. Finally, the results indicate that love and care for nature positively moderate the relationship between environmental awareness and pro-conservation behavioral intention. Nevertheless, it should be emphasized that, in the absence of pre-test measurement of the dependent variables, an intervention effect, in the strict sense, cannot be determined.