In a delicate period like the one we are living in today, talking about learning is even more fundamental. Let us start, however, with a brief analysis of this concept from a psychological point of view. Learning, according to the definition proposed by the psychologist Ernest Hilgard (1971), is an intellectual process through which the individual acquires knowledge about the world that, subsequently, he uses to structure and orient his behavior in a lasting way. Learning can be the result of spontaneous processes, as occurs in children, for example with language, or it can be induced and guided by external teaching intervention. Since the 1930s, many theories have been proposed, but I will not bore you with an endless list of theses. What the studies of all these years have taught us is that each of us can learn through interaction with the environment or spontaneously: specifically, we can modify our behavior through responses to external stimuli, observation, interaction with others, or through a reorganization of our brain activity, as if each of us suddenly managed to put some order in our mind.

In recent years, virtual reality has also proved to be an excellent means of promoting learning thanks to its excellent adaptability, since it can reproduce any kind of virtual environment, allowing a dynamic approach to real problems. The first psychological studies and virtual reality date back to the early 1990s, thanks to which we began to become aware of the enormous potential that this technology could offer in the field of clinical psychology. It has been noted that the use of virtual environments reproduced in a manner faithful to reality, allows the subject under treatment to live a clearer experience than would be possible through his imaginative capacity (Vincelli, Riva, and Molinari, 1998). The most common applications in this field concern the treatment of phobia. It is the marked fear or anxiety towards a specific object or situation and involves intense anxiety at the circumscribed exposure to a particular stimulus, the phobic stimulus. Applications for the treatment of phobias are all based on ‘progressive exposure to the phobic stimulus and prevention of compulsive behavior’ (DS). DS, developed by psychiatrist Joseph Wolpe (1972), aims to associate an antagonistic response to anxiety, such as muscle relaxation or controlled breathing, in the presence of the anxiety stimuli themselves. In general, several studies have been conducted on the treatment of several specific phobias, in particular fear of flying, agoraphobia, fear of driving, fear of spiders, and claustrophobia. Research to date in this area (Parsons, Rizzo, 2008: Powers, Emmelkamp, 2008) has shown that VR environments can elicit the same emotions as the situation experienced in the real world and that the sense of presence can also be experienced in graphically inaccurate virtual environments. Virtual reality has also been used for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, especially in the military context. The guiding principle of this treatment seems to be the gradual re-introduction to the experiences that triggered the trauma (Paulson and Krippner, 2007). In practice, the patient is gradually induced to relive the traumatic situation, but in a controlled context and without forcing the subject to face what he is not yet ready for. In addition to the clinical field, virtual reality can favor learning by becoming an instrument of “shared” communication (Riva and Davide, 2001, Riva, Galimberti, and Mantovani, 1997): “virtual reality can be considered as a three-dimensional and interactive extension of traditional graphic chats”. In this sense, action has also been taken in the recreational sphere, through the creation of video games for PCs, which allow a high level of interactivity to the user with the possibility of creating instant chats during use. Interactive virtual reality platforms are also gradually being introduced in amusement parks around the world. RV training is also useful as a means of enhancing learning. One study that has demonstrated the effectiveness of virtual reality in this field is military training, as it is much cheaper than traditional field training, the tasks are repeatable, monitoring is constant, and carried out under completely safe conditions (Smith and Stell, 2001). In recent years, virtual reality has also proved to be an excellent means of promoting learning thanks to its excellent adaptability, since it can reproduce any type of virtual environment, allowing a dynamic approach to real problems. The first psychological studies and virtual reality date back to the early 1990s, thanks to which we began to become aware of the enormous potential that this technology could offer in the field of clinical psychology. It has been noted that the use of virtual environments reproduced in a manner faithful to reality, allows the subject under treatment to live a clearer experience than would be possible through his imaginative capacity (Vincelli, Riva, and Molinari, 1998). The most common applications in this field concern the treatment of phobia. It is the marked fear or anxiety towards a specific object or situation and involves intense anxiety at the circumscribed exposure to a particular stimulus, the phobic stimulus. Applications for the treatment of phobias are all based on ‘progressive exposure to the phobic stimulus and prevention of compulsive behavior’ (DS). DS, developed by psychiatrist Joseph Wolpe (1972), aims to associate an antagonistic response to anxiety, such as muscle relaxation or controlled breathing, in the presence of the anxiety stimuli themselves. In general, several studies have been conducted on the treatment of several specific phobias, in particular fear of flying, agoraphobia, fear of driving, fear of spiders, and claustrophobia. Research to date in this area (Parsons, Rizzo, 2008: Powers, Emmelkamp, 2008) has shown that VR environments can elicit the same emotions as the situation experienced in the real world and that the sense of presence can also be experienced in graphically inaccurate virtual environments. Virtual reality has also been used for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, especially in the military context. The guiding principle of this treatment seems to be the gradual re-introduction to the experiences that triggered the trauma (Paulson and Krippner, 2007). In practice, the patient is gradually induced to relive the traumatic situation, but in a controlled context and without forcing the subject to face what he is not yet ready for. In addition to the clinical field, virtual reality can favor learning by becoming an instrument of “shared” communication (Riva and Davide, 2001, Riva, Galimberti, and Mantovani, 1997): “virtual reality can be considered as a three-dimensional and interactive extension of traditional graphic chats”. In this sense, action has also been taken in the recreational sphere, through the creation of video games for PCs, which allow a high level of interactivity to the user with the possibility of creating instant chats during use. Interactive virtual reality platforms are also gradually being introduced in amusement parks around the world. RV training is also useful as a means of enhancing learning. One study that has demonstrated the effectiveness of virtual reality in this field is military training, as it is much cheaper than traditional field training, the tasks are repeatable, monitoring is constant, and carried out under completely safe conditions (Smith and Stell, 2001). These studies gave rise to the development of flight simulators to support the training of aviation pilots, allowing them to improve their skills in a controlled manner. In this area of empowerment, it is important to mention the contribution RV can make to Mental Training as a tool for learning and empowering technical-tactical strategies and mental skills. Athletes are immersed in a specific sport represented by a virtual environment to develop in the subject that sense of mental and physical presence that allows interaction with the context (Banos et al., 2000). Mental training has therefore gradually been integrated with this new technology. Specifically, virtual reality in sport has recently developed with the use of 360° video. The combination of VR environments with 3D recording systems makes it possible to visualize body movements with increasing precision (think of applications in imagery). This is referred to as VR visualization training, which consists of observing a subject in the video performing a motor action. This type of activity refers to the learning process defined by Bandura’s modeling, according to which the individual learns certain movements by watching another person (the model) performing and reproducing them (Bandura, 1986).

Vrainers specifically wants to make a concrete contribution in this direction. In fact, at a time like the present, when technological innovation has become almost uncontrollable, VRAINERS starts from the desire to make people aware of the need to use technology as a means of personal improvement and growth. How to do this? Through virtual reality. It is important to remember that virtual reality is an important means of prevention and learning, which allows you to live an experience directly, to “immerse” yourself in the concrete situation, virtually simulated. The content of this multisensory interface (involving sight, hearing but also movement) allows participants to live individualized and emotionally engaging experiences, in a controlled context, learning from them and bringing them back to the real environment (transferability of learning). The interactive content of this technology, together with the construction of individualized and specialized mental training programs, enables active learning in a dynamic and fun way.

Bibliography

Anolli, L. (2011). La sfida della mente muticulturale. Raffaello cortina editore.

Atienza, F L , Balaguer, I , & Garcia-Merita, M L (1998) Video modelling and imaging training on performance of tennis service of 9- to 12-year-old children Perceptual and Motor Skills, 78, 1323-1328

Botella C, Riva G, Gaggioli A, et al. The present and future of positive technologies. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 2012; 1:78–84

Villani D., Riva G., Gaggioli A., Positive Technologies for enhancing wellbeing: intervention proposal 2015.

Riva, G. (2005). Virtual reality in psychotherapy. Cyberpsychology & behavior, 8 (3), 220-230.

Larry Katz, James Parker, Hugh Tyreman, Gail Kopp, Richard Levy, Ernie Chang, Virtual reality in sport and wellness: promise and reality. Sport Technology Research Laboratory, University of Calgary.

Riva, G., Mantovani, F. and Gaggioli, A. (2004a). Presnce and Rehabilitation: Toward second- generation virtual reality applications in neuropsychology, Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 1 (9): 1–11.

Author:

Francesco Palazzo

Degree in psychological sciences and techniques from the University of L’Aquila. Master’s degree in Psychology of Well-being: empowerment, rehabilitation, and positive technologies, at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan. Master’s degree in Sport Psychology. Specialized in the use of Positive Technologies applied to different psychological fields, conducting an experimental study on cognitive enhancement and technical-motor gestures on young competitive tennis players through an integrated training of mental training and virtual reality.