Kewei ZHOU

Dissertation

Supervisor: Dr. Yuan YUAN

This thesis investigates how three levels of VR interactivity (passive viewing, active navigation, creative interaction) in cultural heritage experiences influence user engagement and cultural perception. A dual-path chain mediation model proposes psychological ownership and cultural presence as sequential mediators via flow experience. A within-subjects experiment with 20 participants and structural equation modeling are employed to test hypotheses. Findings elucidate the psychological mechanisms underlying VR-based heritage communication and offer design implications for immersive cultural experiences.