Observing individuals experiencing immersive technology, such as VR and AR, offers unique insights into the evolving nature of these technologies as distinct cultural forms. These observations reveal various aspects of how immersive technology shapes our culture, human interactions, and individual experiences.
When using immersive technology, people frequently disconnect from their local physical environment and immerse themselves in a virtual world or story. People's communication styles can change in virtual settings, which might cause a change in social dynamics (Rubio, et al., 2017). It is evident from their use of novel forms of expression or increased attention to in-game or AR activities that immersive technology is more than just a tool; rather, it is a distinct culture where communication changes. Additionally, people's interactions with these environments demonstrate a shift in the creation and consumption of culture. It can also be consumed in social settings when users enter the reality together with different forms of interactions including, direct user interaction, physical controls and virtual controls (Mine, 1995).
People increasingly consume and create material within immersive settings in the same way that they consume conventional cultural forms such as books, music, and films. Immersive technology enables the use of digital personalities and avatars. An avatar—a personal depiction of the user—often serves as the person's embodiment or representative in social VR/AR (Frehlich, 2020, pp. 13-15).
Seeing people interact with their avatars or virtual selves shows how these technologies might affect how people identify with themselves. Many social VR systems are open-ended, allowing users to engage, socialise, communicate, and role-play while assuming the identity of their generated avatar, further distancing themselves from reality (Markowitz and Bailenson, 2019). For example, they may adopt different personas, names, and characteristics, further emphasising the unique cultural aspects of immersive technology.
Immersive technology has become a means of learning and skill development. Observing people using these technologies for educational purposes reveals how they are contributing to changes in the way we acquire knowledge and skills (Medium, 2022). Immersive educational experiences not only make learning more engaging but also emphasise the role of immersive technology in shaping educational culture.
The possible effects that VR and AR might have from the perspective of educators are likewise a matter of debate. For instance, many social VR applications required to include capabilities to mute or prohibit other avatars' abusive behaviour. Even yet, there is still a chance for danger when using social VR platforms, particularly those that don't give users access to private rooms. Teachers must also ensure that pupils are shielded from needless psychological harm (Frehlich, 2020, pp. 15).
In summary, studying how people interact with immersive technology offers important new perspectives on how this unique cultural form has developed. These findings shed light on how social dynamics are changing, how new modes of expression are emerging, how identities are developing, how culture is produced and consumed, how norms and ethics are changing, and how the physical and digital worlds are intertwined. Immersion technology is an essential component of our modern cultural environment because it is more than simply a tool; it is a singular cultural phenomena that is always changing and being changed by its users.
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References
Frehlich, C. (2020) Immersive Learning: a practical guide to virtual reality's superpowers in education. 1st edn. London: Rowman & Littlefield.
Markowitz, D., Bailenson, J. (2019) Virtual Reality and Communication. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/OBO/9780199756841-0222 (Accessed 19 October 2023).
Medium (2022) The Effects of Virtual Reality on Social Dynamics in Medical Pedagogy During COVID-19.Available at: https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/the-effects-of-virtual-reality-on-social-dynamics-in-medical-pedagogy-during-covid-19-5e51275aba48 (Accessed: 19 October 2023).
Mine, M. (1995) ‘Virtual Environment Interaction Techniques’. Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina. Unpublished
Rubio-Tamayo, J.L., Barrio, M.G., García, F.G. (2017) 'Immersive Environments and virtual Reality: Systematic Review and Advances in Communication, Interaction and Simulation', Multimodal Technol, 1(4). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/mti1040021.
Image References
Game Development News (2020) Technology of AR is revolutionary as it is changing the traditional trends of gaming. Available at:https://blogs.geniteam.com/ar-future-game/ (Accessed: 18 October 2023).
The Verge (2013) All jacked in and nothing to play chasing the perfect VR game. Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/23/5237452/chasing-the-perfect-oculus-rift-vr-game (Accessed: 18 October 2023).
Virtual Speech (2022) VR Applications: 23 Industries using Virtual Reality. Available at: https://virtualspeech.com/blog/vr-applications (Accessed: 18 October 2023).
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