Presence as an emotional experience.

Area of Science:

• Virtual Reality (VR)
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Psychology

Background:

• The concept of presence, or the sense of "being there," is central to Virtual Reality (VR).
• Existing VR literature primarily defines presence through behavioral responses, signal detection theory, and philosophy, largely overlooking emotional aspects.
• Emotional engagement is fundamental to human experience and perception of reality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-examine the concept of presence by integrating emotional engagement with virtual environments.
• To highlight the necessity of including emotional factors in any comprehensive theory of presence.
• To explore the implications for research methodologies in understanding virtual presence.

Main Methods:

• Proposes the application of validated psychological techniques for assessing emotions.
• Suggests utilizing subjective reports, behavioral observations, and facial analysis.
• Advocates for integrating these methods to study emotional states within virtual environments.

Main Results:

• Emotional factors are crucial for a complete understanding of presence in virtual environments.
• Current research models of presence are incomplete due to the exclusion of emotional dimensions.
• The integration of emotional assessment methods can significantly advance the study of virtual presence.

Conclusions:

• A robust theory of presence must incorporate emotional engagement.
• Investigating the interplay between presence and emotional states offers insights into VR applications.
• Future research should employ emotional assessment techniques to deepen the understanding of virtual presence and its therapeutic potential.