A 'Front-Row Seat' to Catastrophe: Testing the Effect of Immersive Technologies on Sympathy and Pro-Environmental Behavior in the Context of Rising Sea Levels
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| Title: | A 'Front-Row Seat' to Catastrophe: Testing the Effect of Immersive Technologies on Sympathy and Pro-Environmental Behavior in the Context of Rising Sea Levels |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Lara Ditrich (ORCID |
| Source: | Environmental Education Research. 2026 32(3):569-587. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, College Students, Environmental Education, Climate, Oceanography, Computer Simulation, Simulated Environment, Sensory Experience, Computer Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Consciousness Raising, Emotional Response, Intention |
| Geographic Terms: | Germany |
| DOI: | 10.1080/13504622.2025.2459340 |
| ISSN: | 1350-4622 1469-5871 |
| Abstract: | For 63% of the world's population living farther than 100 km (60 miles) from the coast, rising sea levels due to climate change represent a distal, abstract problem that might not appear to require urgent action. This poses a challenge to environmental educators seeking to foster pro-environmental responses. We tested if and how using immersive digital technologies like virtual reality (VR) can aid educators in overcoming this challenge. Participants in our experiment (N = 146) viewed a report on how rising sea levels affect contemporary Fijians either in high immersive VR (360° video in a head-mounted display) or in low immersive VR (360° video on a traditional computer screen). Pro-environmental intentions did not differ between the experimental conditions. However, perceived presence, a sense of 'being there', was higher in the high immersion condition than in the low immersion condition. Presence, in turn, correlated positively with pro-environmental intentions and sympathy but not problem awareness. This suggests that environmental education on rising sea levels aimed at promoting pro-environmental intentions might benefit from creating a heightened perception of presence. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1503386 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | For 63% of the world's population living farther than 100 km (60 miles) from the coast, rising sea levels due to climate change represent a distal, abstract problem that might not appear to require urgent action. This poses a challenge to environmental educators seeking to foster pro-environmental responses. We tested if and how using immersive digital technologies like virtual reality (VR) can aid educators in overcoming this challenge. Participants in our experiment (N = 146) viewed a report on how rising sea levels affect contemporary Fijians either in high immersive VR (360° video in a head-mounted display) or in low immersive VR (360° video on a traditional computer screen). Pro-environmental intentions did not differ between the experimental conditions. However, perceived presence, a sense of 'being there', was higher in the high immersion condition than in the low immersion condition. Presence, in turn, correlated positively with pro-environmental intentions and sympathy but not problem awareness. This suggests that environmental education on rising sea levels aimed at promoting pro-environmental intentions might benefit from creating a heightened perception of presence. |
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| ISSN: | 1350-4622 1469-5871 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/13504622.2025.2459340 |
