Embodiment Empowers Empathy in Virtual Reality
Brenda K. Wiederhold · Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking · 2020
P resence, or the feeling of ''being there'' in a virtual environment, has long been studied as a key feature for determining whether a virtual reality (VR) system can be effective in eliciting a strong response from its user.The same applies to the concept of immersion, which can refer directly to the technology that enables the user to experience the virtual world (e.g., a head-mounted display or a mobile screen) or can be related to the user's internal experience and willingness to suspend disbelief and feel invested in the virtual world. 1 In truth, both presence and immersion are necessary for a VR experience to be effective, and research has found that users will not feel immersed if they cannot connect with the story of the environment.1 It is only once a connection is made-once the line between reality and imagination is crossed-that VR can be used as an effective treatment modality.Recently, researchers have begun to explore a third concept related to how users connect to a virtual world: embodiment.Embodiment is especially relevant to a user's empathic response, which is crucial to creating a beneficial therapeutic environment.What Is Embodiment?