Virtual Transcendent Dream: Empowering People through Embodied Flying in Virtual Reality

Flying dreams can evoke feelings of empowerment and self-transcendent experience, which benefit well-being, but such dreams are hard to induce intentionally. Virtual reality (VR) flying interfaces with more embodied self-motion cues better supported self-transcendent experience and empowerment than those with fewer cues. Design considerations derived include obscurity, extraordinary light, and a supportive setting. These findings contribute to guidelines for designing VR experiences that foster self-transcendence and empowerment, potentially applicable to improving mental well-being.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Flying dreams have the potential to evoke a feeling of empowerment (or self-efficacy, confidence in our ability to succeed) and self-transcendent experience (STE), which have been shown to contribute to an individual’s overall well-being. However, these exceptional dreaming experiences remain difficult to induce at will. Inspired by the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) to support profound emotional experiences, we explored if a VR flying interface with more embodied self-motion cues could contribute to the benefits associated with flying dreams (i.e., STE and empowerment). Our results indicated that a flying interface with more self-motion cues indeed better supported STE and empowerment. We derived several design considerations: obscurity, extraordinary light and supportive setting. Our results contribute to the discourse around design guidelines for self-transcendence and empowerment in VR, which may further be applied to the improvement of mental well-being.