Unveiling the longitudinal influence of augmented reality cosmetic applications on female buying behavior: A cross-lagged panel model analysis

Augmented reality (AR) applications for cosmetics will likely change women's lives more than any other technology. While AR is being rapidly adopted, current studies on AR are almost exclusively cross-sectional, focusing on traditional variables of technology acceptance that do not adequately address the extent to which experiential and contextual factors contribute to sustaining engagement. This longitudinal study fills the gap in trait research data by integrating the S-O-R framework with the Technology Acceptance Model and incorporating two new constructs: perceived haptic realism and environmental anchoring, to assess their effects on and influence on consumer behavior over time. The study tracked 342 participants at Wave 1 (March 1 - May 26) and 310 participants at Wave 2 (June 10 – July 30) over a period of five months, employing the "cross-lagged panel" method to analyze the longitudinal data. The study observed that perceived ease of use, environmental anchoring, and perceived haptic realism have significant, positive lagged effects on spatial presence. Spatial presence temporally associated with immersion. Immersion and decision-making quality were temporally associated with purchase intention. From a theoretical perspective, the results provide longitudinal evidence for the applicability of S-O-R to AR adoption and expand TAM in establishing the temporal value of experiential cues. From a practical perspective, cosmetic brands should focus on usability, as well as realistic haptic cues and context-anchoring features, to transform immersive engagement into persistent purchase behavior. However, sample attrition and a two-wave, five-month design limit the generalizability and accuracy of temporal effects. Future studies may involve multi-wave studies, including cross-cultural diversity and age, as well as AR-frequency as moderators.