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Virtual Reality as an Experiential Tool: The Role of Virtual Worlds in Psychological Interventions

Virtual Reality as an Experiential Tool: The Role of Virtual Worlds in Psychological Interventions

Alessandra Gorini, Andrea Gaggioli, Giuseppe Riva
Copyright: © 2010 |Pages: 20
ISBN13: 9781615207770|ISBN10: 1615207775|ISBN13 Softcover: 9781616922887|EISBN13: 9781615207787
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61520-777-0.ch025
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MLA

Gorini, Alessandra, et al. "Virtual Reality as an Experiential Tool: The Role of Virtual Worlds in Psychological Interventions." Ubiquitous Health and Medical Informatics: The Ubiquity 2.0 Trend and Beyond, edited by Sabah Mohammed and Jinan Fiaidhi, IGI Global, 2010, pp. 532-551. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-61520-777-0.ch025

APA

Gorini, A., Gaggioli, A., & Riva, G. (2010). Virtual Reality as an Experiential Tool: The Role of Virtual Worlds in Psychological Interventions. In S. Mohammed & J. Fiaidhi (Eds.), Ubiquitous Health and Medical Informatics: The Ubiquity 2.0 Trend and Beyond (pp. 532-551). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-61520-777-0.ch025

Chicago

Gorini, Alessandra, Andrea Gaggioli, and Giuseppe Riva. "Virtual Reality as an Experiential Tool: The Role of Virtual Worlds in Psychological Interventions." In Ubiquitous Health and Medical Informatics: The Ubiquity 2.0 Trend and Beyond, edited by Sabah Mohammed and Jinan Fiaidhi, 532-551. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2010. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-61520-777-0.ch025

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Abstract

The present chapter illustrates the past and the future of different virtual reality applications for the treatment of psychological disorders. After a brief technical description of the virtual reality systems, the rationale of using virtual reality to treat different psychological disorders, as well as the advantages that the online virtual worlds offer to the promising field of the virtual therapy will be discussed. However, challenges related to the potential risks of the use of virtual worlds and questions regarding privacy and personal safety will also be discussed. Finally, the chapter introduces the concept of “Interreality”, a personalized immersive form of e-therapy whose main novelty is a hybrid, closed-loop empowering experience bridging physical and virtual worlds. The main feature of interreality is a twofold link between the virtual and the real world: (a) behavior in the physical world influences the experience in the virtual one; (b) behavior in the virtual world influences the experience in the real one. This is achieved through: (1) 3D shared virtual worlds; (2) bio and activity sensors (that connect the real to the virtual world); (3) mobile internet appliances (that connect the virtual to the real world).

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