Psychological distance in the metaverse: user consumption behavior and avatar facial maturity

Bai, S. and Zhou, J. and Han, Chunjia and Yang, Mu and Gupta, Brij and Arya, V. and Yu, D. (2025) Psychological distance in the metaverse: user consumption behavior and avatar facial maturity. Management Decision , ISSN 0025-1747. (In Press)

Abstract

Purpose – Metaverse is one of the latest developments in e-commerce and is a new business tool for business growth. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between avatar facial maturity and user consumption behavior, and to explore the underlying mechanism of psychological distance. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, face detection technology is used to extract the facial cues of users' avatars on the metaverse social platform. Through the establishment of a virtual goods database, identify the user's consumption results. Then, use regression analysis to examine the relationship between research objects, and experimental to explore the potential psychological mechanisms. Findings – There is a significant correlation between avatar facial maturity and user consumption behavior. Psychological distance is an important factor affecting user behavior, and by enhancing the perceived realistic for users, it is possible to reduce their psychological distance effectively. Originality/value –This study offers new empirical evidence regarding users' preferences for facial maturity and their consumption behavior during the avatar customization process. It identifies psychological distance as the underlying mechanism through which avatar facial maturity influences user consumption behavior.

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