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Journal article
Embodying nature in immersive virtual reality: Are multisensory stimuli vital to affect nature connectedness and pro-environmental behaviour?
Computers and education, Vol.212, 104964
2024
Abstract
One discussion in the context of education for sustainable development centres on the importance of cognitive as well as affective processes for promoting pro-environmental behaviour. In our study, we investigate how affordances of immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) such as the virtual embodiment of a tree might provide new opportunities to achieve this goal. The aim of our study was twofold: Firstly, we investigated whether multisensory enhancement of iVR has an additional, supporting effect on mechanisms that are vital to fostering nature connectedness and pro-environmental behaviour compared to non-enhanced iVR. Secondly, we examined the relationships between mediating variables to explain the underlying mechanisms of how nature connectedness and pro-environmental behaviour can be promoted through iVR. In our experimental design (N = 82), we tested the effects of multisensory enhancement of embodying nature in immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) compared to non-enhanced iVR on the processes considered vital to promoting pro-environmental behaviour: a) embodiment, b) perspective-taking, c) reflection on the relationship between oneself and nature, and d) connectedness to nature. According to self-reported measures, participants developed a feeling of embodiment and were able to change their perspective by stepping into the tree's point of view. Users also succeeded in situating the tree's experience into the greater context, often reflecting on the role of humankind towards nature. However, we found that multisensory iVR does not lead to an additional increase in nature connectedness, but is associated with a higher level of taking action and slightly more reflective processes. We propose a preliminary path-model that summarises the observed findings. Our results contribute to the small but growing body of research that evidences the effects of taking the perspective of non-sentient beings through iVR on nature connectedness and pro-environmental behaviour.
Details
- Title
- Embodying nature in immersive virtual reality: Are multisensory stimuli vital to affect nature connectedness and pro-environmental behaviour?
- Authors/Creators
- Pia Spangenberger - Technische Universität BerlinSarah-Christin Freytag - Technische Universität BerlinSonja M. Geiger - Murdoch University, School of Psychology
- Publication Details
- Computers and education, Vol.212, 104964
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd.
- Identifiers
- 991005631469207891
- Copyright
- © 2023 The Authors.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Psychology
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Citation topics
- 4 Electrical Engineering, Electronics & Computer Science
- 4.284 Human Computer Interaction
- 4.284.1027 Augmented Reality
- Web Of Science research areas
- Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
- Education & Educational Research
- ESI research areas
- Computer Science