Usage Matters: The Role of Frequency, Duration, and Experience in Presence Formation in Social Virtual Reality

The sense of presence is central to immersive experiences in Virtual Reality (VR), and particularly salient in socially rich platforms like social VR. While prior studies have explored various aspects related to presence, less is known about how ongoing usage behaviors shape presence in everyday engagement. To address this gap, we examine whether usage intensity, captured through frequency of use, session duration, and years of VR experience, predicts presence in social VR. A survey of 295 users assessed overall, social, spatial, and self-presence using validated scales. Results show that both frequency and duration consistently predict higher presence across all dimensions, with interaction effects indicating that frequent and extended sessions synergistically amplify the experience of "being there. " These effects were stable across age and gender. Our findings extend presence research beyond the laboratory by identifying behavioral predictors in social VR and offer insights for building inclusive environments that reliably foster presence.