Calogiuri and teammates evaluated the psychological effects of experiencing immersive virtual nature (IVN). They report that as part of their study “healthy adults were randomly allocated to walk for 10 min on a treadmill whilst facing a blank wall (control) or being exposed to one of two IVNs (a 360° video or a matching computer-generated scenario) with equal levels of interactivity. . . . With equal levels of immersion and interaction, 360° videos and computer-generated IVNs can be equally effective in eliciting increased feelings of nature connectedness. The IVN experience was generally perceived as a distinct experience, not merely a (poor) simulation of actual nature-interactions. However, characteristics of the technology or the virtual environment can influence the overall experience.”
Giovanna Calogiuri, Evi Petersen, Amelia Haile, Ole Flaten, Fred Frohlich, and Sigbjorn Litleskare. 2023. “The Impact of Visualization Techniques of Immersive Virtual Scenarios in Promoting Nature Connectedness: A Blind Randomized Controlled Trial with Mixed-Methods Approach.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 90, 102102, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102102