Understanding the Virtual Reality

VIRTUAL REALITY
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Virtual Reality
The increased adoption of virtual reality (VR) calls for a better understanding of its latent effect on end-users, whether positive or negative. Virtual reality creates physical sensations, which in turn heighten realism in an otherwise virtual world. This increased realism yields a sensation known as a “presence” that represents real use experiences of a real-world setting through computer-generated audio and visual displays. As this novel technology is increasingly gaining traction today, there have been concerns over its negative impacts on the users. Much of existing literature from industry and academia have explored the positive side, but it is argued here that understanding the negative impact of any emerging technology is equally invaluable. Major benefits linked to the use of VR include relaxation of moods, spatial presence of users, and flow. However, research now indicates that excessive use of the technology can have undesirable physiological impacts, including but not limited to dizziness and eye fatigue (Olmos-Raya et al., 2018, p. 2045). In addition, it has been observed that VR can result in increased negative emotions caused by elevated absorption levels, especially during gameplay. Understanding both the benefits and dangers of virtual reality technology is important in examining its future approval.
The VR-generated environment allows for both mind and body relaxation among users. In addition, technology enhances an individual’s social abilities. For example, in their study, Serrano and colleagues (2013; Cited by Chun-Chia, Kuo-Lun, and Chia-Chen, 2020, p. 251) concluded that besides relaxing users’ minds, such environments facilitate the shaping of their social abilities. This has been one of the major factors that have accelerated the widespread adoption of the technology. Tech giants such as Facebook, Google, and Microsoft have been banking on selling their VR technology in the market. Relaxation can be described as a state at which people experience reduced stress levels. Notably, relaxation has often been a critical drive to leisure activities among music consumers, online gamers, and people who love watching movies. According to Pizzoli and colleagues (2019, p. 479), relaxation helps people become immersed in their activities. It helps increase pleasure in people’s engagements. Thus, users playing a VR game can experience ultimate pleasure because of a relaxed mind. Such virtual environments (VEs) have generally been characterized by relaxing narratives that help induce control over the user’s body and physiological reactions. By engaging users in VR refereed activities, the technology empowers them to regulate their feelings. Users are generally put in the VE created through the technology as contrasted from to simply following a narrative. This active involvement helps in soothing both the body and mind.
VR technology creates feelings of spatial presence whereby users are tricked into imagining that they have been carried to a whole new environment. For example, when users playing computer games or view videos with VR devices, they are made to believe that they are in the actual environment with the characters in the game or the movies. Various studies have examined the consequences of spatial presence as presented by information technology. For instance, in their study, Rodriguez-Ardura and Meseguer-Artola (2016, p. 504) argue that users’ discernment of spatial presence has a huge influence on the intentions and flow of VR technology. In addition, it helps VR users to relax their minds, a factor that many technology companies have exploited when developing games. The widespread approval of VR games such as those developed by Luna and Chroma Lab is a clear indication that spatial presence when offered in a calm VE, can help in enhancing relaxation.
Another positive impact of VR is its capacity to augment flow. In this case, flow can be described as the state of ideal pleasure resulting from keen concentration on a task or an activity. In measuring flow, aspects such as perceived enjoyment can be employed. Perceived enjoyment can be understood as the level at which users find ultimate pleasure. This enjoyment of the user is a major factor determining the rapid adoption of any technology more so when it comes to technology related to leisure and gaming. When users are more absorbed in VR, they are more likely to achieve optimal pleasure. According to Rodriguez-Ardura and Meseguer-Artola (2016, p. 504), when using these devices, users often have a rewarding experience in terms of flow and relaxation, an observation denoting that the environment has a direct influence on the experiences of users. Furthermore, the flow tends to increase when the user is subjected to something personal. Revoking personal experiences can positively affect the psychological condition of the mind (Allcoat and von Muhlenen, 2018, p. 1). In relaxing environments, VR elements that reminiscence safe places that the user has experienced in the past can help enhance a sense of peace and security. Equally, VR experiences with affective connoted spurs can be useful in terms of emotion regulation, allowing users to confront their relevant life experiences.
Despite the above positive impacts of VR, there are concerns that this new technology could adversely influence users, particularly concerning their health. One of such fears is the tendency of the no...