This research examined the effects of regulatory fit on media users' enjoyment of interactions with a virtual interlocutor and feelings of social presence and self-presence in the 3D virtual environments (VEs) of Second Life. Results from a two (regulatory focus state: promotion vs. prevention) × two (regulatory strategy: eagerness means vs. vigilance means) between-subjects full-factorial experiment demonstrated that the regulatory fit between regulatory focus state and means for goal pursuit in computer-mediated communication (CMC) within 3D VEs increases users' enjoyment, feelings of presence, and postexperimental healthy eating intentions. A path analysis further revealed the mediating roles of social presence and self-presence. Theoretical and methodological contributions as well as practical implications are discussed.

3D virtual environments (VEs) can induce parasocial interaction (PSI) and strong feelings of social presence through interactive communication among avatars. Throughout this research, PSI was operationally defined as the extent of VE users' interpersonal involvement with other avatars and perception of themselves as interacting with the other virtual actors in the environment. Self-construal refers to an individual's view of self. Self-construals play an important role in shaping PSI in interactive media environments. After proposing a typology of the self, the experiment in this study empirically examined the influence of users' interdependent self-construals on their feelings of social presence and PSI with a recommendation avatar in avatar-based communication within the 3D VE of Second Life (SL). The results revealed that people with high interdependent self-construals experience closer PSI with a recommendation avatar and feel stronger social presence in SL than people with low interdependent self-construals. A path analysis also demonstrated that social presence mediates the effects of users' self-construals on their PSI with a recommendation avatar in VEs.