Digital Human Obsession in Immersive Environment: A Literature Review and Future Research Directions

Obsessive engagement with digital humans has attracted growing scholarly interest, yet fragmented conceptualizations, diverse theoretical perspectives, and varied methodological approaches collectively produce a disconnected literature that hinders progress. To synthesize existing knowledge and guide future research directions, this study conducts a systematic literature review of 35 peer-reviewed publications on digital human obsession, examining temporal trends, disciplinary distributions, focal themes, theoretical foundations, methodological choices, contextual settings, and sample characteristics. We then apply the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework to develop an integrated account of the mechanisms underlying obsessive digital human engagement, distinguishing between digital human puppets (DHPs) and digital human agents (DHAs). We conclude by discussing key findings and proposing avenues for subsequent investigation while acknowledging the constraints of the current review.