Virtual Reality
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that provides perceptually rich, multisensory simulations that surround users and respond to naturalistic body movements. VR has been studied by cognitive scientists in three main areas. First, VR has been used as a tool to study basic cognitive processes, for example, creating experimental stimuli using rich, realistic scenes in which people can interact naturally while still maintaining rigid experimental control. Second, VR has been studied as a medium itself; scholars have developed theories based on the medium and have researched the affordances of the technology as its own intellectual endeavor. Finally, the medium has a rich history of applications related to cognitive science, including mental health and training.