Presence and empathy as mediators between immersion and prosocial intentions in primary school children

Empathy and prosocial development are pivotal to individual and societal wellbeing and have been actively promoted by K-12 educators. This study investigated the impact of spherical-video immersive virtual reality (SV-IVR) on empathy and prosocial intentions among children aged 9 to 10. Using a quasi-experimental design, 504 participants were exposed to social conflict simulations through either a SV-IVR environment or a non-immersive 2-D presentation. The study aimed to determine whether a higher sense of immersion leads to elevate prosocial intentions, with presence and state empathy acting as mediators. Structural equation modeling provided preliminary support that greater immersion was associated with an increased sense of presence, which, in turn, appeared to foster state empathy and, ultimately, prosocial intentions. However, a direct relationship between immersion and state empathy was not found, suggesting that presence may be a prerequisite for children's empathic engagement. This study helps address several concerns in VR-based empathy research, including larger sample size, the use of emotionally engaging scenarios, and the integration of pedagogical guidance. The findings offer important implications for designing and implementing SV-IVR-based educational programs that promote social-emotional learning and prosocial behavior among young learners.