IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v33y2025i6p9303-9324.html

Nudging Into the Future of Immersive Reality: A Systematic Review of Sustainability‐Orientated Nudges in Policy and the Future Role of Extended Reality (XR)

Author

Listed:
  • Jessica M. Williams
  • Vivian H. Y. Chu
  • Wai Fung Lam
  • Winnie W. Y. Law
  • Sik Tung Ho

Abstract

Sustainability issues are highly complex and constantly evolving, posing significant challenges for effective management. Addressing these challenges requires innovative policies, such as digital innovations like extended reality (XR) and the application of psychological insights through nudges. This paper examines the intersection of social and behavioral sciences, focusing on how immersive technologies can be used to design and implement nudges for sustainable behavior. We conduct a review and meta‐analysis of nudge effectiveness to better understand sustainability behavior, categorizing nudges as cognitive, affective, or behavior‐oriented. Cognitive nudges are the most studied (n: 99) but have mixed results (54% positive), while behavioral nudges (n: 50) are more effective (70% positive). XR studies testing cognitive (n: 3) and behavioral (n: 4) nudges generally show positive outcomes, but research on affective nudges is limited (overall n: 15, XR n: 0), likely due to difficulties in testing emotional interventions. XR can enhance cognitive nudges by reducing information processing barriers and expand behavioral nudges by offering convenience not possible in the physical world. Immersive technologies also present new opportunities to test affective nudges by creating virtual scenarios that evoke empathy and social connections. We conclude by emphasizing the need to prioritize ethical considerations in using immersive technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Jessica M. Williams & Vivian H. Y. Chu & Wai Fung Lam & Winnie W. Y. Law & Sik Tung Ho, 2025. "Nudging Into the Future of Immersive Reality: A Systematic Review of Sustainability‐Orientated Nudges in Policy and the Future Role of Extended Reality (XR)," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(6), pages 9303-9324, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:6:p:9303-9324
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.70145
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70145
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.70145?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Laukkanen, Tommi & Xi, Nannan & Hallikainen, Heli & Ruusunen, Nino & Hamari, Juho, 2022. "Virtual technologies in supporting sustainable consumption: From a single-sensory stimulus to a multi-sensory experience," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    2. Felix Ebeling & Sebastian Lotz, 2015. "Domestic uptake of green energy promoted by opt-out tariffs," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 5(9), pages 868-871, September.
    3. Xingrong Guo & Yiming Guo & Yunqin Liu, 2021. "The Development of Extended Reality in Education: Inspiration from the Research Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Fredrik Carlsson & Christina Gravert & Olof Johansson-Stenman & Verena Kurz, 2021. "The Use of Green Nudges as an Environmental Policy Instrument," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 15(2), pages 216-237.
    5. Elinor Ostrom, 2000. "Collective Action and the Evolution of Social Norms," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 137-158, Summer.
    6. Paul J. Ferraro & Pallavi Shukla, 2020. "Feature—Is a Replicability Crisis on the Horizon for Environmental and Resource Economics?," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(2), pages 339-351.
    7. Stefano DellaVigna & Elizabeth Linos, 2022. "RCTs to Scale: Comprehensive Evidence From Two Nudge Units," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 90(1), pages 81-116, January.
    8. Hephzibah Beula John & Mini Agrawal & Priyanka Nema & Arif Hasan & Isha Kaur Rakhra & Abhilasha Singh, 2025. "Green growth: a bibliometric analysis of digital innovation and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    9. Christopher J. Bryan & Elizabeth Tipton & David S. Yeager, 2021. "Behavioural science is unlikely to change the world without a heterogeneity revolution," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(8), pages 980-989, August.
    10. Momsen, Katharina & Stoerk, Thomas, 2014. "From intention to action: Can nudges help consumers to choose renewable energy?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 376-382.
    11. 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.
    12. Giulia Wally Scurati & Marco Bertoni & Serena Graziosi & Francesco Ferrise, 2021. "Exploring the Use of Virtual Reality to Support Environmentally Sustainable Behavior: A Framework to Design Experiences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-20, January.
    13. Ulf Liebe & Jennifer Gewinner & Andreas Diekmann, 2021. "Large and persistent effects of green energy defaults in the household and business sectors," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(5), pages 576-585, May.
    14. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    15. Peter M. Todd & Yvonne Rogers & Stephen J. Payne, 2011. "Nudging the Trolley in the Supermarket: How to Deliver the Right Information to Shoppers," International Journal of Mobile Human Computer Interaction (IJMHCI), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, vol. 3(2), pages 20-34, April.
    16. Romain Cadario & Pierre Chandon, 2020. "Which Healthy Eating Nudges Work Best? A Meta-Analysis of Field Experiments," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(3), pages 465-486, May.
    17. Marc Vanhuele & Shuba Srinivasan & Koen Pauwels, 2010. "Mindset Metrics in Market Response Models: An Integrative Approach," Post-Print hal-00528411, HAL.
    18. Irina Dolgopolova & Alessia Toscano & Jutta Roosen, 2021. "Different Shades of Nudges: Moderating Effects of Individual Characteristics and States on the Effectiveness of Nudges during a Fast-Food Order," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-12, December.
    19. Schnack, Alexander & Wright, Malcolm J. & Elms, Jonathan, 2021. "Investigating the impact of shopper personality on behaviour in immersive Virtual Reality store environments," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    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. Paul M. Lohmann & Elisabeth Gsottbauer & Christina Gravert & Lucia A. Reisch, 2025. "Nudging, Fast and Slow: Experimental Evidence from Food Choices under Time Pressure," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 88(10), pages 2595-2627, October.
    2. Dominik Bär & Stefan Feuerriegel & Ting Li & Markus Weinmann, 2023. "Message framing to promote solar panels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Meier, Johanna & Andor, Mark A. & Doebbe, Friederike C. & Haddaway, Neal R. & Reisch, Lucia A., 2022. "Review: Do green defaults reduce meat consumption?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    4. Thommes, Kirsten & Mehic, Miro, 2026. "The persistence of default effects: Evidence from CO2 offsetting in cargo transportation," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    5. Danuta Miłaszewicz, 2022. "Survey Results on Using Nudges for Choice of Green-Energy Supplier," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-19, April.
    6. Perino, Grischa & Schwirplies, Claudia, 2022. "Meaty arguments and fishy effects: Field experimental evidence on the impact of reasons to reduce meat consumption," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    7. Rita Abdel-Sater & Coralie Chevallier, 2025. "Can green nudges increase inequalities?," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 24(2), pages 827-844, December.
    8. Zhang, Jin & Huang, Yidi & Zhu, Junming & Zhao, Lijun, 2023. "A meta-analysis on the effectiveness of food-waste reducing nudges," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    9. Kaiser, Micha & Bernauer, Manuela & Sunstein, Cass R. & Reisch, Lucia A., 2020. "The power of green defaults: the impact of regional variation of opt-out tariffs on green energy demand in Germany," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    10. Böhm, Robert & Halevy, Nir & Kugler, Tamar, 2022. "The power of defaults in intergroup conflict," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    11. Rita Abdel Sater, 2021. "Essays on the application of behavioural insights to environmental policy [Essais sur l’application des connaissances comportementales aux politiques environnementales]," SciencePo Working papers tel-03450909, HAL.
    12. S. Mills & S. Costa & C. R. Sunstein, 2023. "AI, Behavioural Science, and Consumer Welfare," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 387-400, September.
    13. Leonhard Lades & Federica Nova, 2022. "Ethical Considerations when using Behavioural Insights to Reduce Peoples Meat Consumption," Working Papers 202209, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    14. Leonhard K. Lades & Ewa Zawojska & Robert J. Johnston & Nick Hanley & Liam Delaney & Mikołaj Czajkowski, 2022. "Anomalies or Expected Behaviors? Understanding Stated Preferences and Welfare Implications in Light of Contemporary Behavioral Theory," Working Papers 2022-20, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    15. Rabaa, Simon & Geisendorf, Sylvie & Wilken, Robert, 2022. "Why change does (not) happen: Understanding and overcoming status quo biases in climate change mitigation," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 45(1), pages 100-134.
    16. Rita Abdel Sater, 2021. "Essays on the application of behavioural insights to environmental policy [Essais sur l’application des connaissances comportementales aux politiques environnementales]," Sciences Po Economics Publications (main) tel-03450909, HAL.
    17. Cristiano Codagnone & Giuseppe Alessandro Veltri & Francesco Bogliacino & Francisco Lupiáñez-Villanueva & George Gaskell & Andriy Ivchenko & Pietro Ortoleva & Francesco Mureddu, 2016. "Labels as nudges? An experimental study of car eco-labels," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 33(3), pages 403-432, December.
    18. repec:ags:aaea22:335733 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. L. Mundaca & H. Moncreiff, 2021. "New Perspectives on Green Energy Defaults," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 357-383, September.
    20. Bauer, Jan M. & Nielsen, Kristian S. & Hofmann, Wilhelm & Reisch, Lucia A., 2022. "Healthy eating in the wild: An experience-sampling study of how food environments and situational factors shape out-of-home dietary success," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    21. Samuël Costa & Stuart Mills & Wouter Duyck & Nicolas Dirix, 2026. "Advancing applied behavioral science: the GAP framework," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.

    More about this item

    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:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:6:p:9303-9324. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    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.