IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/infosf/v27y2025i3d10.1007_s10796-024-10500-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Virtual Experiences, Real Memories? A Study on Information Recall and Recognition in the Metaverse

Author

Listed:
  • Nannan Xi

    (Tampere University)

  • Juan Chen

    (Anhui University of Finance and Economics)

  • Filipe Gama

    (Tampere University)

  • Henry Korkeila

    (Tampere University
    University of Turku)

  • Juho Hamari

    (Tampere University)

Abstract

There are high expectations towards extended reality (XR), namely the “metaverse”. However, human performance in the metaverse has been called into question when undertaking everyday activities (e.g., working, shopping, and learning etc.), as complex human-technology interaction required may hinder cognitive abilities such as processing of information. Therefore, this study attempts to address whether and how XR impacts abilities to recall and recognize information in daily-life settings. We investigated the effects of VR and AR in a 2 (VR: yes vs. no) × 2 (AR: yes vs. no) between-subjects design experiment related to a shopping task (N = 153) on textual (product names) and pictorial (product pictures) recognition and recall. The results show that textual information recall and pictorial information recognition did not significantly suffer in XR compared to shopping in a brick-and-mortar store. While regarding textual information recognition performance, the results show that fully physical environments offered the highest performance compared to the different XR technologies being used. Overall, the study provides important findings and guidance for the use of extended reality technologies in consumer-facing businesses, as well as the use of XR in everyday life in general.

Suggested Citation

  • Nannan Xi & Juan Chen & Filipe Gama & Henry Korkeila & Juho Hamari, 2025. "Virtual Experiences, Real Memories? A Study on Information Recall and Recognition in the Metaverse," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 1183-1207, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:infosf:v:27:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s10796-024-10500-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10796-024-10500-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10796-024-10500-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10796-024-10500-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Flacandji & Nina Krey, 2020. "Remembering shopping experiences: The Shopping Experience Memory Scale," Post-Print hal-03219821, HAL.
    2. Rauschnabel, Philipp A., 2021. "Augmented reality is eating the real-world! The substitution of physical products by holograms," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    3. Xi, Nannan & Hamari, Juho, 2021. "Shopping in virtual reality: A literature review and future agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 37-58.
    4. Maity, Moutusy & Dass, Mayukh & Kumar, Piyush, 2018. "The impact of media richness on consumer information search and choice," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 36-45.
    5. Flacandji, Michaël & Krey, Nina, 2020. "Remembering shopping experiences: The Shopping Experience Memory Scale," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 279-289.
    6. Francesca Serravalle & Milena Viassone & Giacomo Chiappa, 2022. "Sensory disclosure in an augmented environment: memory of touch and willingness to buy," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2022(4), pages 401-417, December.
    7. Yim, Mark Yi-Cheon & Chu, Shu-Chuan & Sauer, Paul L., 2017. "Is Augmented Reality Technology an Effective Tool for E-commerce? An Interactivity and Vividness Perspective," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 89-103.
    8. Pantano, Eleonora & Servidio, Rocco, 2012. "Modeling innovative points of sales through virtual and immersive technologies," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 279-286.
    9. Lynch, John G, Jr & Srull, Thomas K, 1982. "Memory and Attentional Factors in Consumer Choice: Concepts and Research Methods," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 9(1), pages 18-37, June.
    10. Wilma A. Bainbridge & Elizabeth H. Hall & Chris I. Baker, 2019. "Drawings of real-world scenes during free recall reveal detailed object and spatial information in memory," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    11. Nannan Xi & Juan Chen & Filipe Gama & Marc Riar & Juho Hamari, 2023. "The challenges of entering the metaverse: An experiment on the effect of extended reality on workload," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 659-680, April.
    12. Barnes, Stuart J., 2020. "Information management research and practice in the post-COVID-19 world," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    13. Ghosh, Tathagata & S., Sreejesh & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2021. "Examining the Deferred Effects of Gaming Platform and Game Speed of Advergames on Memory, Attitude, and Purchase Intention," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 52-66.
    14. Simmonds, Lucy & Bellman, Steven & Kennedy, Rachel & Nenycz-Thiel, Magda & Bogomolova, Svetlana, 2020. "Moderating effects of prior brand usage on visual attention to video advertising and recall: An eye-tracking investigation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 241-248.
    15. Thorsten Hennig-Thurau & Dorothea N. Aliman & Alina M. Herting & Gerrit P. Cziehso & Marc Linder & Raoul V. Kübler, 2023. "Social interactions in the metaverse: Framework, initial evidence, and research roadmap," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 889-913, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gong, Taeshik & Park, JungKun, 2023. "Effects of augmented reality technology characteristics on customer citizenship behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    2. Nannan Xi & Juan Chen & Filipe Gama & Marc Riar & Juho Hamari, 2023. "The challenges of entering the metaverse: An experiment on the effect of extended reality on workload," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 659-680, April.
    3. Zhang, Min & Li, Yiwei & Sun, Yuxuan & Sun, Lin, 2025. "I feel it, I buy it: Deploy AR-based product presentation to generate satisfying tactile experiences in online retail," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    4. Suzan Dağaşaner & Ayşe Gözde Karaatmaca, 2025. "The Role of Online Banking Service Clues in Enhancing Individual and Corporate Customers’ Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Customer Experience as a Corporate Social Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-29, April.
    5. Büyükdağ, Naci & Kitapci, Olgun, 2021. "Antecedents of consumer-brand identification in terms of belonging brands," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    6. Jyro B. Triviño, 2024. "Role of human resources in memorable customer experience," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-15, January.
    7. Merle, Aurélie & St-Onge, Anik & Sénécal, Sylvain, 2022. "Does it pay to be honest? The effect of retailer-provided negative feedback on consumers’ product choice and shopping experience," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 532-543.
    8. Stefan Hoffmann & Tom Joerß & Robert Mai & Payam Akbar, 2022. "Augmented reality-delivered product information at the point of sale: when information controllability backfires," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 743-776, July.
    9. Pillai, Rajasshrie & Sivathanu, Brijesh & Rana, Nripendra P., 2025. "Unveiling virtual interactive marketplaces: Shopping motivations in the Metaverse through the lens of uses and gratifications theory," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    10. Nathalie Veg-Sala & Angy Geerts, 2021. "L'expérience d'achat dans les boutiques de luxe : Etude des dimensions selon les motivations d'achat des consommateurs de luxe," Post-Print hal-04154737, HAL.
    11. Shahzad, Khuram & Ashfaq, Muhammad & Zafar, Abaid Ullah & Basahel, Sarah, 2024. "Is the future of the metaverse bleak or bright? Role of realism, facilitators, and inhibitors in metaverse adoption," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    12. Anja Lambrecht & Carsten Baumgarth & Jörg Henseler, 2025. "Holistic augmented reality brand equity (HARBE) model: building customer-based brand equity through augmented reality," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 32(4), pages 298-314, July.
    13. Vieira, Valter Afonso & Rafael, Diego Nogueira & Agnihotri, Raj, 2022. "Augmented reality generalizations: A meta-analytical review on consumer-related outcomes and the mediating role of hedonic and utilitarian values," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 170-184.
    14. Sreejesh, S. & Ghosh, Tathagata & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2021. "Moving beyond the content: The role of contextual cues in the effectiveness of gamification of advertising," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 88-101.
    15. Jin-Kyu Kim & Jae-Jang Yang & Yong-Ki Lee, 2023. "How Do Self-Service Kiosks Improve COVID-19 Pandemic Resilience in the Restaurant Industry?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-21, June.
    16. Yaser Sobhanifard & Seyed Mohammad Saleh Hashemi Apourvari, 2022. "Environmental sustainable development through modeling and ranking of influential factors of reference groups on consumer behavior of green products: The case of Iran," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 1294-1312, October.
    17. Gleim, Mark R. & McCullough, Heath & Gabler, Colin & Ferrell, Linda & Ferrell, O.C., 2025. "Examining the customer experience in the metaverse retail revolution," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    18. A.M. Ghouri & H.R. Khan & V. Mani & M.A.U. Haq & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour, 2023. "An Artificial-Intelligence-Based Omnichannel Blood Supply Chain: A Pathway for Sustainable Development," Post-Print hal-04276023, HAL.
    19. Kai-Yu Wang & Abdul Ashraf & Narongsak Thongpapanl & Caitlin Ferreira & Cem Selcuk & Todd Green, 2025. "Acting on impulse: the role of emotion, gender identity and immersion in driving impulse behavior," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 2347-2387, June.
    20. Li, Nianlin & Xuan, Changchun & Chen, Rui, 2024. "Different roles of two kinds of digital coexistence: The impact of social presence on consumers' purchase intention in the live streaming shopping context," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:infosf:v:27:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s10796-024-10500-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.