About this Research Topic
Our increasingly digitized world has witnessed a paradigm shift with the advent of virtual reality (VR) and other adjacent technologies, revolutionizing the landscape of skilled psychological performance and learning. With the ability to create immersive and interactive environments, VR offers unprecedented opportunities in domains such as sport, exercise, healthcare, safety, and education, amongst many others. This interdisciplinary intersection of technology and psychology underscores the profound impact these innovations can have on human performance, offering a promising avenue for research and application in optimizing psychological outcomes across various fields. As these technologies continue to evolve, their potential impact on enhancing cognitive abilities, refining skill acquisition, and promoting optimal mental states is profound.
The Research Topic aims to address the evolving landscape of skilled psychological performance and learning through the lens of virtual reality (VR) and adjacent technologies. Given the relative novelty of the technology, as well as recent advances in environmental realism, haptic feedback, and adaptive learning algorithms, it is perhaps not surprising that our current understanding of the precise mechanisms by which these technologies impact skilled psychological performance is lacking. We encourage papers that address the perceptual-cognitive, emotional, and behavioral facets of skilled psychological performance, particularly within domains like sports, exercise, education, health, and safety. Existing psychological research utilizing VR has showcased its potential to benefit individuals and society, but more empirical evidence is needed before we can apply our knowledge of the technology with confidence. The goal of this Research Topic is to deepen our understanding of the transformative influence VR and other adjacent technologies exert on human cognition, behavior, and well-being, providing valuable insights for educators, practitioners, and researchers alike.
We invite scholars to contribute their research exploring virtual reality's (VR) role in skilled psychological performance and learning, particularly intervention studies that examine the effectiveness of VR as a training tool. That is, how the use of VR impacts the acquisition, development, and application of psychological skills that contribute to proficient and effective functioning in various domains. We invite manuscripts from a wide range of areas including, but not limited to, sport psychology, health psychology, educational psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, organizational psychology, and neuropsychology. Whilst virtual reality is the primary focus, adjacent emerging technologies (such as 360-degree video, augmented reality, etc.) will be considered should they address the other aspects of the Research Topic’s scope. Manuscripts may include original empirical studies, theoretical analyses, review articles, meta-analyses, case-studies, and opinion pieces.
The Research Topic aims to address the evolving landscape of skilled psychological performance and learning through the lens of virtual reality (VR) and adjacent technologies. Given the relative novelty of the technology, as well as recent advances in environmental realism, haptic feedback, and adaptive learning algorithms, it is perhaps not surprising that our current understanding of the precise mechanisms by which these technologies impact skilled psychological performance is lacking. We encourage papers that address the perceptual-cognitive, emotional, and behavioral facets of skilled psychological performance, particularly within domains like sports, exercise, education, health, and safety. Existing psychological research utilizing VR has showcased its potential to benefit individuals and society, but more empirical evidence is needed before we can apply our knowledge of the technology with confidence. The goal of this Research Topic is to deepen our understanding of the transformative influence VR and other adjacent technologies exert on human cognition, behavior, and well-being, providing valuable insights for educators, practitioners, and researchers alike.
We invite scholars to contribute their research exploring virtual reality's (VR) role in skilled psychological performance and learning, particularly intervention studies that examine the effectiveness of VR as a training tool. That is, how the use of VR impacts the acquisition, development, and application of psychological skills that contribute to proficient and effective functioning in various domains. We invite manuscripts from a wide range of areas including, but not limited to, sport psychology, health psychology, educational psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, organizational psychology, and neuropsychology. Whilst virtual reality is the primary focus, adjacent emerging technologies (such as 360-degree video, augmented reality, etc.) will be considered should they address the other aspects of the Research Topic’s scope. Manuscripts may include original empirical studies, theoretical analyses, review articles, meta-analyses, case-studies, and opinion pieces.
Keywords: Virtual Reality, Skilled Performance, Learning, Psychology, Technology, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, 360 Video, Human Cognition, Wellbeing, Behaviour.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
