Virtual Reality environment ‘Walk in Nature’: Improvement of physical and mental vitality @home
Additional information
Type of assignment: BSc. thesis
Internal/external: Internal
How many students? 2
Supervision: group of 2 students
Includes data collection? Yes: quantitative and qualitative data collection
Type of research: Process and effect evaluation of intervention without control group
Number of ECTS? 15 ECTS
Research assignment
We developed the Virtual Reality Environment ‘Walk in Nature’ to improve physical and mental vitality in people who suffer from loss of energy, exhaustion, and fatigue. We tested the pilot versions of the application in international students, people from the general population and people with chronic diseases. Until now these tests were mostly executed in the BMSLab, thus in a highly controlled context. Finally, the aim is to make this vitality intervention ready for home use in order to promote regular self-management in people with fatigue and energy problems.
You will test the ‘Walk in Nature’ VR environment in students who feel stressed, fatigued or otherwise exhausted and will explore in a process and effect study how longitudinal use (1-2 weeks) is experienced by participants, which instructions and contexts are necessary to successfully implement the VR for home use and which effects can be observed after regular use.
Who do we look for?
You should be interested in the use of virtual reality for psychological interventions, curious to learn how to use and instruct this type of interventions and collaborate with the BMSLab.
References
Bareišytė L. (2021) Using Virtual Reality to Improve Subjective Vitality: Design and Pilot Study for a Virtual Nature Environment. Master thesis Psychology, University of Twente.
Korporaal L.A. (2023). Studying the Effect of Added Exercises to VR Nature on Feelings of Subjective Vitality, Energy, Tension and Stress in Students. Master thesis Psychology, University of Twente.
Plante, T. G., Cage, C., Clements, S., & Stover, A. (2006). Psychological benefits of exercise paired with virtual reality: Outdoor exercise energizes whereas indoor virtual exercise relaxes. International Journal of Stress Management, 13(1), 108. DOI: 10.1037/1072- 5245.13.1.10
Yu, C. P., Lee, H. Y., & Luo, X. Y. (2018). The effect of virtual reality forest and urban environments on physiological and psychological responses. Urban forestry & urban greening, 35, 106-114.