Using virtual reality to close psychological distances

Wednesday December 17, 2025

Despite agreement among most scientists and climate experts that climate change is real and poses a major threat to the planet, apathy and denial towards it persist and proliferate. While politics plays a big role in people’s attitudes, there are also several psychological reasons for people to be apathetic, and researchers are looking for new technology for ways to close these psychological gaps. A new study co-authored by Assistant Professor of Media Production, Management, and Technology Eugy Han explored ways to use virtual reality (VR) in climate change communication and found that VR was an effective tool at reducing climate indifference among its participants.

…