A recent study by Professor of Marketing and Chairperson of the Marketing Department at the Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB) Maya Farah and Interim Assistant Dean at AKSOB Zahy Ramadan on the importance of integrating people with disabilities (PWD) in the metaverse informs targeted marketing and the role that organizations in the virtual world can play in promoting inclusivity.   

By investigating how the attachment to virtual spaces by people with disability or special needs influences their psychological wellbeing, the seminal paper published in the Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing addresses the limited theoretical knowledge available on this connection and its implications on their need for uniqueness and acceptance of disability.  

The study is an “eye-opener,” said Dr. Farah, as it helps marketing companies better realize the metaverse by taking into account the psychological wellbeing of over one billion individuals with special needs worldwide.

“It is the first step toward many to build a better understanding for marketing companies to adapt their strategies and campaigns in terms of accepting disabilities to integrate the online and offline world, or what is called the omnichannel, to guarantee that these vulnerable segments of the society are included and their needs are being catered for,” added Dr. Ramadan.

The quantitative study, titled “Toward an inclusive metaverse: maneuvering between acceptance of disability and need for uniqueness,” examines how PWD feel and behave in virtual worlds to better advise companies on metaverse-related strategies. The sample consisted of 530 active metaverse users, categorized into age groups from 18 upward, of different educational levels and types of impaired physical function ranging from vision to hearing and physical mobility.

The investigation rested on two basic theories: The attachment theory or the emotional bond that one develops with a place, which in the virtual world takes the form of a connection between people and places as they communicate their feelings; and the need for uniqueness theory, defined from the consumer’s perspective as differentiating oneself by acquiring products to boost one’s wellbeing, which in turn influences brand-related behavior on social media.

Understanding how these two needs influence PWD’s wellbeing is vital to making the virtual world more inclusive and engaging for them.

It enables companies and organizations to empower PWD by engaging them in reviewing content and establishing communities on metaverse platforms to provide insights and valuable feedback, said Dr. Farah.  

“Promoting inclusivity, a wider societal aim, aligns with the UN Strategic Development Goal (SDG) 3, Good Health & Wellbeing, ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages,” she added.

Dr. Farah and Dr. Ramadan explained that their scholarly contribution paves the way for companies, governments, and policymakers to customize their strategies, plans and laws to protect people with disabilities against inequalities, discrimination and abuse in the metaverse world.

“Laws and regulations in the virtual world to promote equality and protect all vulnerable and social groups from discrimination and abuse are still not applied,” said Dr. Farah. “This study helps policymakers address issues of inequity especially since policies related to technology, AI, and the metaverse world are still nascent.”

Case in point, noted Dr. Ramadan, “A few years ago, two of our studies—“Disruptions versus more disruptions: How the Amazon dash button is altering consumer buying patterns,” and “Amazon’s approach to consumers’ usage of the Dash button and its effect on purchase decision involvement in the U.S. market”—were incorporated into the European Union’s 2020 policy document as part of the support study for their competition rules, which were revised and adopted in 2022 to align with the digitalized decade ahead. This highlights the critical importance of our research for governments worldwide.”

The study aligns with SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities, and was facilitated by a grant from the President’s Intramural Research Fund (PIRF).

To browse more scholarly output by the LAU community, visit our open-access digital archive, the Lebanese American University Repository (LAUR)