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The “mediated sense of presence” is a technology-induced illusion of being present in one (simulated) place when one is actually present in another (physical) place. Typically experienced in virtual worlds, mediated presence is generated by different technological, cognitive, and emotional factors. The aim of this study was to test how to optimise the virtual experience by manipulating some of these factors. Specifically, we tested if an immersive technology and/or a meaningful narrative context influence the users' sense of presence, providing a more compelling experience than a non-immersive and non-contextualized virtual space. Eighty-four students, randomly divided into four groups, were asked to find a blood container inside a virtual hospital in an immersive or non-immersive condition and with or without an emotionally related narrative. Two presence questionnaires and heart-rate variations were used to …