While there has been extensive research on the use of virtual environments for the assessment and treatment of various psychological conditions, there has been considerably less discussion about the ethical challenges inherent in this approach. Thomas Parsons considers these in this open-access article.
- Parsons TD. (2021) Ethical Challenges of Using Virtual Environments in the Assessment and Treatment of Psychopathological Disorders. Journal of Clinical Medicine; 10(3):378. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10030378
- https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/3/378#cite
In this article, which appeared in the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest, Emma Barratt describes how VR spaces can become inclusive places for young people to spend time.
- Barratt (2021, 30 November). Researchers want to create safe, inclusive virtual reality hangouts for teens. https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/researchers-want-create-safe-inclusive-virtual-reality-hangouts-teens
The International Society for Presence Research (ISPR) holds conferences on issues relating to virtual worlds and presence, and visitors to their website can read papers presented at past conferences.
This interview with Prof. Daniel Freeman in the BPS The Psychologist magazine discusses various fascinating aspects of his work exploring the overlap between VR and psychology.