Presence in virtual reality: Importance and methods to increase it

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) is considered the "treatment of choice" for a broad range of psychological disorders. Although effective, there are many difficulties in implementation. Virtual Reality (VR) is a relatively new technology that has been effectively integrated into psychotherapy for a multitude of disorders, and its technologies and presentations enable therapeutic endeavor to overcome these difficulties. However, as with any treatment, VR efficacy varies among clients. One parameter that has been suggested as increasing VR treatment efficacy is presence. "Presence" is the subjective experience in which the client/subject feels as if s/he is "in" the situation even though it is not real. Presence is influenced by personality and technological factors, as well as by the interaction between the two. Our lab has conducted numerous research projects to elucidate the main psychological and interaction ingredients responsible for increasing presence. This chapter presents an up to date summary of our findings that aim to elucidate the optimal VR user profile.