EMOTIONAL CONNECTION AND DIGITAL INTIMACY IN VIRTUAL REALITY SPACES: AN EXPLORATION FROM CYBERPSYCHOLOGY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/rcsv15n12-007Keywords:
Virtual Reality, Digital Intimacy, Online Social Interaction, Cyberpsychology, Immersive EnvironmentsAbstract
Virtual reality is transforming the ways individuals interact and form relationships within digital environments. This exploratory qualitative study examined how users experience and develop online relationships in immersive virtual reality spaces to better understand the factors that facilitate digital intimacy. In-depth interviews were conducted with 24 participants (aged 18–30) who had developed online relationships and actively engaged on virtual reality platforms. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis to identify narrative patterns associated with presence, authenticity, and emotional connection. Findings revealed that immersion in virtual environments enhances the sense of presence, amplifies emotional expressiveness, and fosters the formation of meaningful interpersonal bonds. Participants described virtual reality as a medium that enables deeper experiences of intimacy than those achieved through other digital communication channels, offering an interactive and multisensory environment. These results suggest that virtual reality redefines the boundaries of human interaction and opens new avenues for examining the psychological, emotional, and social dimensions of digital intimacy. Moreover, the findings highlight potential applications in cyberpsychology, immersive therapy, and the design of virtual social ecosystems.
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