虚拟现实技术在心理学领域的应用与展望

Applications and Prospect of Virtual Realiy Technology in Psychological Studies

虚拟现实(VR)技术因其能够提高实验研究的生态效度、条件控制水平、可重复性以及避免实地操作带来的危险,被众多研究者引入心理学领域。VR技术除了被用于改良实验程序外,也广泛应用于注意、记忆和执行能力等神经心理测验评估,在恐惧症、焦虑症、创伤后应激障碍和精神分裂症等精神障碍的临床治疗中亦取得丰硕成果。未来研究可致力于改进VR技术本身存在的问题、扩大样本量并扩展研究方法和范围,为VR应用提供更可靠的信效度证据。

Virtual reality(VR)technology has been introduced into the field of psychology for its ability to improve the ecological validity,condition control level,repeatability,and avoid risks induced by field operations.Based on a comprehensive review of recent studies,we found that VR technology not only helps improve the experiment procedure,but also is widely used in the neuropsychological test evaluation of attention,memory and execution,and also in the clinical treatment of mental disorders,such as phobia,anxiety,post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia.Future research can be focused on improving the problems existing in VR technology itself,enlarging the sample size of experimental research,expending the research method and range of application,so as to provide more evidence of high reliability and validity for VR experiment,assessment and therapy.