The metaverse and consumer psychology: An introduction to Research Dialogue.

This article focuses on defining the Metaverse and exploring its potential implications for consumer behavior. Hadi et al. propose a working definition of the Metaverse based on five features—digital mediation, spatiality, immersion, shared experience, and real-time operation—and examine its impact on three core consumer research domains: identity, social influence, and ownership. Two commentaries expand on this framework: one introduces metaphors to conceptualize consumer interactions within the Metaverse, while the other distinguishes augmented reality from virtual reality and highlights the importance of multisensory experiences beyond visual effects. Together, these contributions offer a foundational research agenda for understanding the evolving role of the Metaverse in consumer experiences.