PSYCHOLOGICAL UTILITY AND PREFERENCE FORMATION IN IMMERSIVE CONSUMPTION: A BEHAVIORAL ECONOMIC STUDY BASED ON FLOW EXPERIENCE

Abstract

In the context of digitalization and the active development of interactive technologies, the forms of interaction with products and services are undergoing significant changes. Consumers are moving from passive perception to a deeper and more engaged experience. Technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, video games, and interactive media create new forms of interaction between the consumer and the product.

At the center of this process is the phenomenon of "flow", described by Mihai Csikszentmihalyi, in which a person is completely immersed in activity, loses the sense of time and focuses on the current process [1]. In the context of behavioral economics, this phenomenon is of particular interest because it can significantly affect subjective usefulness and preference formation.

Traditional economic models are based on the assumption of stability and rationality of consumer preferences. Empirical research shows that in conditions of high consumer engagement, their preferences can be dynamic and context-dependent. Immersive consumption can enhance consumers emotional reactions, change their perception of the value of products, and shape new behaviors. This requires a revision of classical approaches to utility analysis.