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From presence to consciousness through virtual reality
Maria V Sanchez-Vives1, Mel Slater
1Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC, Spain.
Nature Reviews. Neuroscience
|April 2, 2005
Summary
Virtual environments can alter our sense of reality, creating a feeling of presence. Studying this phenomenon could offer new insights into perception and consciousness for neuroscientists.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Virtual Reality
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Immersive virtual environments disrupt the link between sensory input and actual location.
- The phenomenon of 'presence' describes the subjective experience of being in a virtual world.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significance of presence for neuroscience research.
- To propose that presence can advance the study of perception and consciousness.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of presence in virtual environments.
- Review of existing literature on virtual reality and neuroscience.
Main Results:
- Presence is a measurable psychological and neurological state.
- Virtual environments provide a unique platform for studying presence.
Conclusions:
- Presence is a crucial area of study for neuroscientists.
- Investigating presence can yield novel understandings of perception and consciousness.