Together with a team of researchers in Norway, Dr. Brendan Keegan has recently published a study on the use of Virtual Reality (VR) as a method for encouraging people to exercise in nature. The experiment created a natural environment for people to explore through a VR headset, as well as a 360 degree treadmill. In doing so, people experienced a natural environment which created a range of feelings and emotions. Some people were encouraged by it, whereas others were very sceptical and felt that you could not replace ‘real nature’. Lastly, the study identified that people experienced a great longing for nature through past memories of walks in nature as children.
The Article is published in Scientific Reports, a subsidiary of Nature, and is free to read through the following link:
A mixed-methods exploration of virtual reality as a tool to promote green exercise
Picture Courtesy of Scott Webb UnSplash