Immersive virtual reality: distinct impact on altered states of consciousness
Liat Abouhav, Keren Nitzan, Ravid Doron
Virtual Reality August 25, 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s10055-026-01443-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 70 |
| Population | Participants who viewed a short film either via VR headset or computer screen |
| Measures | Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) |
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness |
| Key findings | The VR group scored significantly higher than the screen group on all dimensions of the MEQ30, indicating that VR can elicit mystical-type experiences. |
Abstract
Abstract As mental health challenges continue to rise, there is increasing interest in interventions that promote psychological change through emotionally and experientially rich states. One well-studied example involves mystical-type experiences, typically reported in psychedelic-assisted interventions. Virtual reality (VR), with its immersive and embodied qualities, has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological medium for eliciting phenomenologically similar states. This study investigated the medium-specific contribution of VR to such altered states of consciousness. In a controlled experiment, 70 participants viewed the same emotionally evocative short film either via an immersive VR headset or on a standard computer screen. Responses on the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) indicated significantly higher scores across all dimensions in the VR group. These results highlight VR’s potential as a tool for evoking transformative experiences and suggest that immersive technologies may not merely transmit content but actively shape emotional and cognitive processes.