SUGGESTION FOR A THEORETICAL MODEL FOR THE VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE

Abstract

As a result of the technological developments and digital transformation experienced in recent years, the activities and experiences of individuals have transformed in terms of time and space. This has led to change in the way individuals participate in activities. The digital transformation experienced in technology and participation in activities has created the concept of “virtual reality experience”. Today, this experience has become a part of everyday life. These developments have caused the virtual reality experience to gain importance and reflect on the literature. Thus, there has been a rapid increase in the number of studies on virtual reality experience in recent years. Depending on this increasing importance of the virtual reality experience, it has been deemed appropriate to examine this experience theoretically. When the literature is examined, it is seen that a theoretical model has not yet been developed to explain this experience. The fact that such a study had not been done has seen as a deficiency in the literature and it has been decided to do this study in order to fill this deficiency. Therefore, in this study, it has been aimed to suggest a theoretical model to explain the virtual reality experience. In line with this purpose, a theoretical approach has been adopted in the study and the data required for the conducting of the study have been obtained by reviewing secondary sources. The reviewing process have been made by scanning both printed and electronic resources. This process has been carried out within the framework of the concepts of “virtual reality experience”, “virtual reality theories”, “technology acceptance model”, “simulation theory”, “reality-virtuality continuity”, “immersion”, “presence of perception” and “flow theory”. The data obtained as a result of this process have been subjected to a theoretical analysis. The analysis process has been carried out by first giving information about the virtual reality experience, then discussing the theories and approaches used in explaining this experience, and finally evaluating each of these theories and approaches. At the end of the evaluations, a model has been suggested to explain the virtual reality experience, and in this context, the virtual reality experience model has been suggested.