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The Promises and Pitfalls of Virtual Reality

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Virtual Reality in Behavioral Neuroscience: New Insights and Methods

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 65))

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Abstract

Increasingly, Virtual Reality technologies are finding a place in psychology and behavioral neuroscience labs. Immersing participants in virtual worlds enables researchers to investigate empirical questions in realistic or imaginary environments while measuring a wide range of behavioral responses, without sacrificing experimental control. In this chapter, we aim to provide a balanced appraisal of VR research methods. We describe how VR can help advance psychological science by opening pathways for addressing many pernicious challenges currently facing science (e.g., direct replication, prioritizing ecological validity). We also outline a range of unique and perhaps unanticipated obstacles and provide practical recommendations to overcome them.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Christopher Maymon & Gina Grimshaw

  2. University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Ying Choon Wu

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  1. Christopher Maymon
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  2. Ying Choon Wu
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  3. Gina Grimshaw
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Correspondence to Christopher Maymon .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Christopher Maymon

  2. School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Gina Grimshaw

  3. Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Ying Choon Wu

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Maymon, C., Wu, Y.C., Grimshaw, G. (2023). The Promises and Pitfalls of Virtual Reality. In: Maymon, C., Grimshaw, G., Wu, Y.C. (eds) Virtual Reality in Behavioral Neuroscience: New Insights and Methods. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 65. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2023_440

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