In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has been effectively employed in several settings, ranging from health care needs to leisure and gaming activities. A new application of virtual stimuli appeared in social media: in the documentary ‘I met you’ from the South-Korean Munhwa Broadcasting, a mother made the experience of interacting with the avatar of the seven-year-old daughter, who died four years before. We think that this new application of virtual stimuli should open a debate on its possible implications: it represents contents related to grief, a dramatic and yet natural experience, that can have deep psychological impacts on fragile subjects put in virtual environments. In the present work, possible side-effects, as well as hypothetical therapeutical application of VR for the treatment of mourning, are discussed.

From virtual to real healing : a critical overview of the therapeutic use of virtual reality to cope with mourning / S.F.M. Pizzoli, D. Monzani, L. Vergani, V. Sanchini, K. Mazzocco. - In: CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY. - ISSN 1046-1310. - (2021 Aug 20). [Epub ahead of print] [10.1007/s12144-021-02158-9]

From virtual to real healing : a critical overview of the therapeutic use of virtual reality to cope with mourning

S.F.M. Pizzoli
Primo
;
D. Monzani;L. Vergani;V. Sanchini
Penultimo
;
K. Mazzocco
Ultimo
2021

Abstract

In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has been effectively employed in several settings, ranging from health care needs to leisure and gaming activities. A new application of virtual stimuli appeared in social media: in the documentary ‘I met you’ from the South-Korean Munhwa Broadcasting, a mother made the experience of interacting with the avatar of the seven-year-old daughter, who died four years before. We think that this new application of virtual stimuli should open a debate on its possible implications: it represents contents related to grief, a dramatic and yet natural experience, that can have deep psychological impacts on fragile subjects put in virtual environments. In the present work, possible side-effects, as well as hypothetical therapeutical application of VR for the treatment of mourning, are discussed.
bereavement; grief; mourning; virtual reality; virtual therapy
Settore M-FIL/03 - Filosofia Morale
   Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2018-2022 - Dipartimento di ONCOLOGIA ED EMATO-ONCOLOGIA
   MINISTERO DELL'ISTRUZIONE E DEL MERITO
20-ago-2021
20-ago-2021
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/904033
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