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Playing with fire. Understanding how experiencing a fire in an immersive virtual environment affects prevention
Patty C P Jansen1,2, Chris C P Snijders2, Martijn C Willemsen2
1Department of Marketing Intelligence, Division Interpolis, Achmea Holding B.V., Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Plos One
|March 7, 2020
Summary
Experiencing a fire in an immersive virtual environment (IVE) impacts psychological factors influencing fire prevention. However, IVE
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Psychology
Background:
- Fire prevention behavior is crucial for public safety.
- Immersive Virtual Environments (IVEs) offer novel methods for influencing behavior.
- Understanding psychological determinants is key to effective behavior change interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the effects of experiencing a fire in an IVE versus an information sheet on psychological determinants of fire prevention behavior.
- To investigate the relationship between these psychological determinants and actual prevention behavior.
- To evaluate the efficacy of IVEs in promoting fire prevention actions.
Main Methods:
- Participants experienced a simulated fire in an Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) or reviewed an information sheet.
- Psychological determinants including knowledge, vulnerability, severity, self-efficacy, and locus of control were measured.
- Actual fire prevention behavior was assessed post-intervention.
Main Results:
- IVEs positively influenced perceived vulnerability, severity, and self-efficacy, but unexpectedly decreased knowledge.
- Only knowledge and vulnerability demonstrated indirect effects on actual prevention behavior.
- A direct positive effect of IVE on prevention behavior was observed, unexplained by the measured determinants.
Conclusions:
- The study challenges the assumption that changes in psychological determinants directly translate to behavior change following IVE exposure.
- IVEs can directly influence prevention behavior, independent of traditional psychological mediators.
- Future research should incorporate direct measurement of target behaviors when evaluating IVE effectiveness.
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