The Invisible – Experienced: Developing and Verifying a VR Application for Understanding Air Pollution Perception and Attitudes

Air pollution is one of the most urgent, yet persistent, challenges for industrialized societies. Virtual reality-based interventions can become a powerful tool for studying and inducing pro-environmental change. In this paper, we describe the development and effects of a virtual air pollution experience in which a within-group design was combined with high experimental control and semi-free exploration. We manipulated the realism and valence of the visualised particle matter (PM). During the VR experience, we measured the physiological arousal, walked distance and self-reported affective reactions to each PM visualisation. Moreover, we tested (pre-post VR) whether the overall experience of virtual air pollution changed users’ environmental attitudes and the quality of user experience, including presence. We present the results of study with 43 (27 female) participants, (M=35, SD=12), 37 of whom had no/very little prior experience with VR. Compared to the other three conditions, a realistic representation of air pollution (magnified PM) led to self-reported aversion. Importantly, the overall experience increased pro-environmental attitudes. Participants experienced a strong sense of presence and engagement in the simulation. The study highlighted the usefulness of semi-restricted and spontaneous exploration in VR research for unrestrained exposure to stimuli. It also corroborated recent evidence of how VR-based interventions can promote pro-environmental change.