The Psychological and Behavioral Impacts of Virtual Influencers: A Systematic Review
(A2026-133013)

AUTHORS

Xue Zhang, University College Dublin; David DeFranza, Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, University College Dublin; Marius Claudy, University College Dublin/University College Dublin

ABSTRACT

This systematic review synthesizes 136 empirical studies on virtual influencers (VIs) to ex-amine how they, relative to human influencers (HIs), shape consumer behavior and psycho-logical well-being. Using PRISMA-guided searches across six databases, we propose an inte-grative framework in which VI effects operate primarily through user perceptions, psycho-logical processes, and user engagement. Evidence shows VIs work best for functional, tech-oriented, and rationally framed products, while HIs retain advantages for experiential, he-donic, and high-involvement domains and more strongly trigger appearance-based compari-son and anxiety. VI impact is highly contingent on design, product–endorser fit, language framing, culture, and audience traits, with calibrated realism, transparent artificiality, value congruence, and strategic HI–VI co-endorsement improving outcomes. We highlight priori-ties for future causal, longitudinal, and cross-cultural research, as well as ethical design and policy.