TY - JOUR
T1 - Virtual reality as empowering environment for personal change
T2 - The contribution of the applied technology for neuro-psychology laboratory
AU - Riva, Giuseppe
AU - Gaggioli, Andrea
AU - Gorini, Alessandra
AU - Carelli, Laura
AU - Repetto, Claudia
AU - Algeri, Davide
AU - Vigna, Cinzia
PY - 2009/9
Y1 - 2009/9
N2 - When we exercise real choice, we gain increased control over our lives and are able to change ourselves. However for many subjects it is not easy to exercise effective choices: patients often don have the knowledge, skills, assertiveness, or self esteem needed. In this situation Virtual Reality (VR), an artificial reality that projects the user into a 3D space generated by the computer, may offer a critical advantage to the therapist. The enriched experience and the total level of control on its features, transform VR in an "empowering environment", where patients can start to explore and act without feeling actually threatened. The attempt of defining, developing and testing VR tools supporting personal empowerment is the main goal of the Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory -ATN-P Lab-at the Istituto Auxologico ltaliano. The paper describes the actual work done by the ATN-P Lab. in this area. Specifically, the open source "NeuroVR" system and its potential clinical applications -anxiety disorders, obesity and eating disorders- are presented and discussed.
AB - When we exercise real choice, we gain increased control over our lives and are able to change ourselves. However for many subjects it is not easy to exercise effective choices: patients often don have the knowledge, skills, assertiveness, or self esteem needed. In this situation Virtual Reality (VR), an artificial reality that projects the user into a 3D space generated by the computer, may offer a critical advantage to the therapist. The enriched experience and the total level of control on its features, transform VR in an "empowering environment", where patients can start to explore and act without feeling actually threatened. The attempt of defining, developing and testing VR tools supporting personal empowerment is the main goal of the Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory -ATN-P Lab-at the Istituto Auxologico ltaliano. The paper describes the actual work done by the ATN-P Lab. in this area. Specifically, the open source "NeuroVR" system and its potential clinical applications -anxiety disorders, obesity and eating disorders- are presented and discussed.
KW - Anxiety disorders
KW - Empowerment
KW - Obesity and eating disorders
KW - Virtual reality
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M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:73549090793
VL - 40
SP - 171
EP - 192
JO - Anuario de Psicologia
JF - Anuario de Psicologia
SN - 0066-5126
IS - 2
ER -