Underwater Virtual Reality and Situated Cognition: Comparing Ground, Docked, and Floating Conditions for Ocean Connectedness and Psychological Wellbeing
Abstract
Experiencing blue spaces enhances nature connectedness and promotes wellbeing, yet ocean environments remain largely inaccessible to most people. Traditional virtual reality (VR) approaches create embodied experiences, but for marine environments, the absence of water creates misalignment between sensory cues, potentially limiting embodied engagement which is crucial for environmental connectedness and psychological wellbeing. This study examined whether underwater VR (UVR), fully immersive experiences in physical water while experiencing virtual reality ocean content, can create situated ocean experiences that enhance psychological wellbeing and ocean connectedness compared to traditional ground VR. Using a situated cognition framework, we tested three conditions representing graduated levels of situatedness: ground (not situated in water), docked (situated in water with at least one hand in contact with ground), and floating (situated in water without contact with the ground). 94 participants were randomly assigned across conditions and experienced identical 10-minute experiences of virtual ocean content. Participants in the floating condition showed significantly higher ocean connectedness, positive affect and vection, compared to both ground and docked conditions. Both water conditions showed increased restorativeness and vitality compared to the ground condition. While underwater VR increased ocean connectedness, no effects on more general nature connectedness were found. These findings indicate potential applications of UVR for marine environmental education and for stimulating future research examining how immersive experiences might influence ocean connectedness.