Digital human avatars as virtual influencers shape climate engagement and pro-environmental commitment

Nurturing pro-environmental commitment among consumers is crucial for mitigating climate change, as commitment is a pledge that precedes and predicts behavior. Given the criticality of the climate crisis and the urgent need for climate action, fostering commitment is vital for future behavioral change. Despite the potential of digital human avatars (DHAs) as virtual influencers alternative to human influencers in advocating environmental causes, empirical evidence regarding their effectiveness remains limited. In response, this research integrates computers as social actors (CASA) paradigm with congruity theory to investigate how DHAs can promote pro-environmental commitment through climate engagement as a mediating mechanism. Data were collected from 476 Chinese and 485 South Koreans from the same generational cohorts (Generations Y and Z) and analyzed using partial least squares path modeling. Results show that DHA-related source cues, content-related social cues, and DHA-content congruence are the key drivers of DHA persuasiveness, with climate engagement operating as a mediator that facilitates pro-environmental commitment while environmental concern serves as a boundary condition. These insights, in turn, contribute to environmental advocacy strategies aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) on climate action.