Perceptual immersion and movie consumption behavior: Perceived value as a mediator

Although scholars have recognized the importance of immersive experiences in movies, the psychological mechanisms that link immersion to actual consumption behavior remain underexplored—especially the role of perceived value. We examined the association between perceptual immersion and movie consumption behavior, with particular focus on investigating the mediating role of perceived value. We analyzed data obtained from a survey of 1,391 people in mainland China. The results demonstrated that the participants’ perceptual immersion correlated positively with both their movie consumption behavior and perceived value. Furthermore, perceived value had a significant predictive effect on movie consumption behavior while acting as a partial mediator in the immersion–consumption relationship. The revealed psychological mechanism contributes fresh theoretical insights to cinematic behavior scholarship and provides actionable implications for movie industry practitioners in developing targeted marketing strategies and optimizing audience experience design.