Virtual Restorative Environments

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
James F. Knight ◽  
Robert J. Stone ◽  
Cheng Qian
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Display System ◽  
Restorative Environments ◽  
Urban City ◽  
Restorative Environment ◽  
Natural Settings ◽  
Olfactory Display

Previous restorative environment (RE) research suggests that exposure of individuals to natural settings can reduce stress, improve feelings of well-being, and help individuals to recover from fatigue following intensive mental activities. This paper focuses on possible future opportunities for exploring Virtual Environments (VE) in the pursuit of restorative and rehabilitative therapies. The paper presents early work in developing such a Virtual Restorative Environment (VRE) and includes results from two preliminary studies. The first study compared two VEs (an urban city scene and a rural coastal scene) and showed the effect of ambient sounds on ratings of anxiety and relaxation. The second study explored the opportunity of incorporating odours into a VE using a novel olfactory display system and evaluated methods for measuring their effect on the user. Throughout, the paper discusses human factors and usability issues for VRE technologies and future research opportunities.

scholarly journals The Restorative Environment and Salutogenesis: Complementary Concepts Revisited

2022 ◽  
pp. 371-385
Author(s):  
Eike von Lindern ◽  
Freddie Lymeus ◽  
Terry Hartig
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Restorative Environments ◽  
Reciprocal Exchange ◽  
Restorative Environment ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Different Levels

AbstractIn this chapter, the authors consider how research on restorative environments can augment research on salutogenesis by calling attention to the dynamics of depletion and renewal of resources needed for the maintenance and promotion of health and well-being and by showing how the sociophysical environment comes into play in people’s ongoing efforts to manage diverse resources. The authors also consider how research on salutogenesis can augment research on restorative environments by encouraging a broader view of the kinds of resources that can be depleted and the different levels on which they are organised and become available. The authors thus indicate areas for more systematic, reciprocal exchange between the fields.

scholarly journals Design and Evaluation of a Virtual Restorative Walk With Room-Scale Virtual Reality and Impossible Spaces

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Rockstroh ◽  
Johannes Blum ◽  
Véronique Hardt ◽  
Anja S. Göritz
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Treatment Condition ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Present Moment ◽  
Restorative Environments ◽  
Restorative Environment ◽  
Environment Control ◽  
Walking Exercise ◽  
Randomized Controlled Experiment

Nature walks are an effective and popular means to replenish fatigued mental resources. Alas, nature walks are not always accessible due to a lack of time or limited availability. We report on the design and pilot test of a room-scale virtual reality (VR) application that makes use of actual walking and impossible spaces to simulate dynamic restorative walks. We conducted a randomized controlled experiment in VR using a between-subjects design. Thirty-one participants went for an 8-min virtual walk either in a fixed virtual restorative environment (control condition) or in the proposed dynamic virtual restorative environment (treatment condition). The treatment condition with the proposed room-scale approach yielded increased user involvement, higher present moment awareness, increased perceived restorativeness of the experience, better subjective restoration, and an improved positive affect. Behavioral analysis showed that the proposed approach led to a reduced walking speed over the course of the walking exercise. The results suggest that room-scale VR in conjunction with virtual restorative environments and impossible spaces can be used to create sophisticated virtual restorative walks in confined spaces. Future research and development are needed to further establish the effects, to identify moderating and mediating factors and to investigate such VR applications in relevant real-world contexts.

Side Effects and Aftereffects of Immersion in Virtual Environments

1994 ◽  
Vol 38 (18) ◽  
pp. 1154-1157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald R. Lampton ◽  
Eugenia M. Kolasinski ◽  
Bruce W. Knerr ◽  
James P. Bliss ◽  
John H. Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Data Handling ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environment ◽  
Simulated Environments ◽  
Item Questionnaire ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
And Training

Immersive Virtual Environment (VE) technology, also known as virtual reality, is being touted as an important new medium for education and training. Other potential applications involve communications, medicine, architecture, astronomy, data handling, teleoperation, and entertainment. A threat to the successful application of this technology is that some users of VE systems suffer unwanted side effects and aftereffects similar to, but not limited to, symptoms of motion sickness. These effects may degrade training effectiveness and jeopardize user safety and well-being. This paper describes the incidence and severity of symptoms we recorded during four different experiments which examined VE training applications. The experiments involved a variety of tasks, simulated environments, and VE systems. We administered a 28 item questionnaire that addressed symptoms related to nausea, eye strain, and dizziness. Significant variation was observed across individuals. In each experiment some users, between 4 and 16%, experienced discomfort to the extent that we terminated their participation. Most users enjoyed the VE experiment but reported some level of discomfort. Our findings indicated that sickness resulting from VE immersion is a potentially serious problem which may not be completely eradicated by improvements in equipment. This paper describes the patterns of effects we observed, discusses the challenges of measuring effects, and outlines future research.

Temple Food As a Sustainable Tourism Attraction: Ecogastronomic Buddhist Heritage and Regional Development in South Korea

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-222
Author(s):  
Anne H.J. Lee ◽  
Geoffrey Wall
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Regional Development ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Sustainable Tourism ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Rich Description ◽  
Food Programs ◽  
Ongoing Development ◽  
Narrative Interpretation

This research explores Buddhist heritage-based tourism in South Korea. It examines temple food experiences provided in tandem with templestay programs that emphasize the Buddhist cooking tradition and share aspects of traditional Buddhist culture with visitors. Based primarily on participant observation, this ecologically friendly form of tourism is described and the ongoing development of temple food programs is documented. A "person-centric" perception is adopted from two perspectives: an emphasis on the holistic well-being of individual visitors, and the importance of a specific person in the provision of tourism experiences. Rich description and narrative interpretation are used to explain the phenomenon and provide a foundation on which future research can be grounded.

Computer-Mediated Communication and Mental Health

2020 ◽  
pp. 78-110
Author(s):  
Adrian Meier ◽  
Emese Domahidi ◽  
Elisabeth Günther
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Disciplinary Boundaries ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Systematic Database

The relationship between computer-mediated communication (e.g., Internet or social media use) and mental health has been a long-standing issue of debate. Various disciplines (e.g., communication, psychology, sociology, medicine) investigate computer-mediated communication in relation to a great variety of negative (i.e., psychopathology) and positive (i.e., well-being) markers of mental health. We aim at charting this vast, highly fragmented, and fast growing literature by means of a scoping review. Using methods of computational content analysis in conjunction with qualitative analyses, we map 20 years of research based on 1,780 study abstracts retrieved through a systematic database search. Results reveal the most common topics investigated in the field, as well as its disciplinary boundaries. Our review further highlights emerging trends in the literature and points to unique implications for how future research should address the various relationships between computer-mediated communication and mental health.

New Territories of Positive Life-Span Development: Wisdom and Life Longings

2009 ◽  
pp. 170-184
Author(s):  
Susanne Scheibe ◽  
Ute Kunzmann ◽  
Paul B. Baltes
Keyword(s):  
Life Span ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Life Span Development ◽  
Life Orientation ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
The Life Course

In search for concepts that help understand how individuals strive for growth and perfection within the boundaries and constraints of human lives, we describe theory and research on the concepts of wisdom, or expert knowledge about human nature and the life course, and Sehnsucht (life longings), the recurring and strong desire for ideal (utopian), alternative states and expressions of life. Both represent relatively new concepts on the agenda of lifespan research, originating from an interest in identifying major topics of public and humanist discourse about the potentials and constraints of life-span development and finding ways to measure them with the methods of normative psychological science. Despite their complexity and multiple meanings, progress has been made in the theory-driven operationalization of wisdom and life longings, allowing new insights into their ontogenesis and role for positive development. Emerging research shows that wisdom and life longings do not directly promote a hedonic life orientation or happiness: neither the insight that life is incomplete (wisdom) nor the experience of this incompleteness (life longings) is compatible with feelings of unequivocal joy and pleasure. Yet, there is emerging evidence that they contribute to other aspects of positive development, emphasizing personal growth, meaning, and the aligning of one's own and other's well-being. We suggest that future research should focus on the links of wisdom and life longings with multiple developmental outcomes and the possible interplay of both concepts in promoting positive development.

Achieving Financial Inclusion for Persons With Disabilities: Exploring Preparedness and Accessibility of Financial Services for Persons With Disabilities in Malawi

2021 ◽  
pp. 104420732110275
Author(s):  
Alex Nester Jiya ◽  
Maxwell Peprah Opoku ◽  
William Nketsia ◽  
Joslin Alexei Dogbe ◽  
Josephine Nkrumah Adusei
Keyword(s):  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Commercial Banks ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Persons With Disabilities

Deplorable living conditions among persons with disabilities and the need to improve their living conditions cannot be overemphasized. This has triggered international discussion on the need for deliberate social policies to bridge the poverty gap between persons with and without disabilities. In Malawi, expansion of financial services has been identified as an essential tool to accelerate economic and inclusive development. However, empirical studies are yet to explore the preparedness of financial institutions to extend their services to persons with disabilities. In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers from commercial banks in Malawi to understand their perspectives on extending financial services to persons with disabilities. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and a descriptive thematic analysis was performed. Although participants reiterated the need to provide persons with disabilities with financial services to improve their well-being, few initiatives have been undertaken to improve their participation. Particularly, participants stated that barriers, such as a lack of financial literacy and adaptive technologies, communication barriers, and high rates of unemployment, explained the reluctance of commercial banks to extend financial services to persons with disabilities. The limitations, recommendations for future research, and implications of the study for policymaking have been highlighted.

scholarly journals Psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-5L for aboriginal Australians: a multi-method study

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Henrique Ribeiro Santiago ◽  
Dandara Haag ◽  
Davi Manzini Macedo ◽  
Gail Garvey ◽  
Megan Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Reference Group ◽  
Characteristic Curve ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Partial Credit Model ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Torres Strait

Abstract Introduction In Australia, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments have been adopted in national population surveys to inform policy decisions that affect the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. However, Western-developed HRQoL instruments should not be assumed to capture Indigenous conceptualization of health and well-being. In our study, following recommendations for cultural adaptation, an Indigenous Reference Group indicated the EQ-5D-5L as a potentially valid instrument to measure aspects of HRQoL and endorsed further psychometric evaluation. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the construct validity and reliability of the EQ-5D-5L in an Aboriginal Australian population. Methods The EQ-5D-5L was applied in a sample of 1012 Aboriginal adults. Dimensionality was evaluated using Exploratory Graph Analysis. The Partial Credit Model was employed to evaluate item performance and adequacy of response categories. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to investigate discriminant validity regarding chronic pain, general health and experiences of discrimination. Results The EQ-5D-5L comprised two dimensions, Physiological and Psychological, and reliability was adequate. Performance at an item level was excellent and the EQ-5D-5L individual items displayed good discriminant validity. Conclusions The EQ-5D-5L is a suitable instrument to measure five specific aspects (Mobility, Self-Care, Usual activities, Pain/Discomfort, Anxiety/Depression) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HRQoL. A future research agenda comprises the investigation of other domains of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HRQoL and potential expansions to the instrument.

scholarly journals The Psychological Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic Restrictions in Italy. The Mediating Role of the Fear of COVID-19 in the Relationship between Positive and Negative Affect with Positive and Negative Outcomes

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 697-710
Author(s):  
Andrea Zammitti ◽  
Chiara Imbrogliera ◽  
Angela Russo ◽  
Rita Zarbo ◽  
Paola Magnano
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive And Negative Affect ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Negative Outcomes ◽  
Event Scale ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
The Relationship

Italy was quickly hit hard by the coronavirus. ‘Lockdown’ has significantly impacted the psychological health, personal wellbeing and quality of life of the people. The study aims to explore the relationship between positive and negative affect, as well as positive (spiritual well-being and flourishing) and negative outcomes (psychological distress caused by a traumatic life event in terms of perception of PTSD symptoms) on Italian adults during the lockdown period. Data was collected between April and May 2020. The participants were 281 Italian adults aged between 18 and 73 years. The survey was composed of the following measures: Flourishing Scale, Jarel Spiritual Well-Being scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Impact of Event Scale—Revised, Fear of COVID-19. The mediational analysis shows that fear of COVID-19 fully mediates the relationship between negative affect and spiritual well-being and flourishing; fear of COVID-19 partially mediates the relationship between negative affect and PTSD symptoms; the positive affect shows only direct effects on positive outcomes. Therefore, fear of COVID-19 does not play any mediation role. Implications for psychological interventions and future research will be discussed.

Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Environments: Demonstrations of Current Technologies and Future Directions

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 2119-2123
Author(s):  
Sarah Beadle ◽  
Randall Spain ◽  
Benjamin Goldberg ◽  
Mahdi Ebnali ◽  
Shannon Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Human Factors ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Risk Environment ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Simulated Environments ◽  
Interactive Session ◽  
Immersive Technologies

Virtual environments and immersive technologies are growing in popularity for human factors purposes. Whether it is training in a low-risk environment or using simulated environments for testing future automated vehicles, virtual environments show promise for the future of our field. The purpose of this session is to have current human factors practitioners and researchers demonstrate their immersive technologies. This is the eighth iteration of the “Me and My VE” interactive session. Presenters in this session will provide a brief introduction of their virtual reality, augmented reality, or virtual environment work before engaging with attendees in an interactive demonstration period. During this period, the presenters will each have a multimedia display of their immersive technology as well as discuss their work and development efforts. The selected demonstrations cover issues of designing immersive interfaces, military and medical training, and using simulation to better understand complex tasks. This includes a mix of government, industry, and academic-based work. Attendees will be virtually immersed in the technologies and research presented allowing for interaction with the work being done in this field.

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