Digital human avatars as virtual influencers shape climate engagement and pro-environmental commitment
研究数字人类化身作为虚拟影响者如何通过气候参与促进消费者的亲环境承诺，基于476名中国和485名韩国Y/Z世代数据，发现来源线索、社交线索和内容一致性是关键驱动因素。
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.