Can virtual reality enhance scope sensitivity? experimental evidence from the Amazon Rainforest

Vincent Chung

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: Given the Amazon Rainforest’s ecological importance, accurately valuing its conservation benefits is critical for informed policy decisions. This study compares the efficacy of using immersive virtual reality (VR) and high-quality video presentations to elicit ‘willingness to pay’ (WTP) for conservation activities in the Amazon Rainforest. It examines whether VR elicits valuations of conservation benefits that are sensitive to the scope or scale of conservation (‘scope-sensitive valuations’), and whether any benefits justify its higher cost. It also explores variations within responses to VR to identify experiential factors, such as feeling present in the environment or feeling physically uncomfortable, that moderate scope sensitivity. The study finds that high-quality video presentations generate scope-sensitive willingness to pay (WTP) for Amazon Rainforest conservation as effectively as immersive VR, while offering greater accessibility and lower cost than VR.

Keywords: virtual reality; stated preference; contingent valuation; scope sensitivity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 Q51 Q57 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 83 pages
Date: 2025-11-21
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:137101

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