"The Togetherness that We Crave"
Samaneh Zamanifard, Guo Freeman · 2019
In this paper we explore the possibility to leverage the emerging social VR platforms in hopes of addressing the limitations in prior work concerning design technologies to support Long Distance Relationships. Using 650 social media posts and comments, we present three themes emerging in long distance couples' experiences of social VR applications. This study represents our first endeavor to explore how engaging with social VR affects some of the deepest and most meaningful aspects of human experiences such as romantic relationships and emotional connections, so as to inform the design of more socially and emotionally satisfactory VR systems in the future.