Socialization of Veterans Using Virtual Reality
Abstract
Virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and video games are
growing in popularity and fulfilling genuine human needs that the real world is
currently unable to satisfy. Games are providing rewards that reality is not. They
are teaching and inspiring and engaging us in ways that reality is not (McGonigal,
2011). The purpose of this study was to capture the essence of socialization in
virtual reality as a Ph.D. dissertation topic at Florida Institute of Technology -
Human-Centered Design. This study used a phenomenology methodology to
capture the experiences of beneficial features of players who use virtual reality. The
study addresses and defines problems and issues concerning health concerns among
military veterans; including contributing factors like loneliness, isolation, treatment
eligibility within the Veteran’s Administration (VA), long wait times at VA
medical centers (for medical attention), negative perceptions and associations of
VA health care facilities, medical centers and military related organizations, and
stigmas associated with treatment. The sample consisted of four virtual reality
users; English-speaking; and at least 18 years of age. Participants were solicited
from in-game play. The findings indicated that Comfortability, Communication, and Community were the major themes in determining the participants lived
experience of positive socialization in virtual reality. An emergent property
concerning the theme Comfortability was the helpfulness factor. A beneficial
feature of virtual reality was that all participants experienced healthy socialization
when they were being helped by another player or were being helpful to another
player.