Metaverse application, flow experience, and Gen-Zers' participation intention of intangible cultural heritage communication

With outstanding advantages in virtuality, immersion, connectivity, and openness, the application of the metaverse in the development of intangible cultural heritage has demonstrated great potential to enhance Gen-Zers' participation intention, but the effect and its mechanism remain unclear. This study constructs a theoretical model based on the stimuli-organism-response (SOR) theory, the DeLone and McLean model of information system (IS) success (D&M) model, and flow theory, and conducts an empirical study using a structural equation model and regression analysis based on questionnaire survey data in China to uncover whether and how metaverse application exerts its impact. Results show that metaverse application can enhance Gen-Zers' participation intention in the communication of intangible cultural heritage, and their mechanism follows a chain path of "stimulus-state-response" under the joint action of "technology-individual-environment" in which metaverse application is the key stimulus factor, flow experience is the mediator, and self-efficacy and subjective norm are moderators. The findings can offer new insights for research on metaverse application from the perspectives of consequences and effects and can also provide practical implications for metaverse application as well as the development and communication of intangible cultural heritage.