Designing for Copresence in VR Nature Experiences: Exploring Human-Nature Encounters
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Park, Jisu
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Abstract
As environmental crises exacerbate, it is increasingly critical to consider how we see ourselves in relation to the natural world. In this dissertation, I explore the concept of copresence, the feeling of being together in immersive environments, as a design strategy for reciprocal engagement with nonhumans. Rather than positioning VR solely for simulation, I approach it as a medium for designing shared encounters with nature, thus, framing the experience not simply as seeing, but as being with.
The research is guided by three central questions: (1) how real-world human-nature relationships can inform the design of VR experiences; (2) how copresence in VR influences users’ emotional and perceptual responses to nature; and (3) how these insights can be translated into design strategies. Methodologically, I combine expert interviews with a mixed-methods user study, centered around the development of a VR wildlife experience, \textit{Eyes of the Wild}. This application focuses on shared presence with wildlife through subtle interactivity that progresses through time.
The findings from expert interviews show that minimal and reciprocal interactions are crucial in fostering more respectful human-animal bonds. The user study found that although quantitative results indicated no difference between conditions, qualitative findings suggest that copresence-oriented design can influence the ways in which users perceive, feel about, and interact with the virtual animal, for example, through spatial dynamics and stillness.
The dissertation contributes to the field by presenting a framework of design guidelines for crafting copresence in nature-based VR. In contrast to positioning users as passive and isolated observers, I suggest considering nature as a copresent actor. By merging conceptual and empirical perspectives, I hope these considerations offer a useful basis for VR designers and HCI researchers interested in developing virtual nature experiences that facilitate more thoughtful and mutually engaging interactions.
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2025-04-29
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Dissertation