Overcoming psychological barriers to pro-environmental behaviour change: the use of virtual reality

This research originated from discussions with practitioners who used virtual reality (VR) as a communication tool to share climate stories. They identified a dearth of impact evaluations and evidence to support the growing use of VR for social and environmental good. Virtual reality was considered to overcome the psychological distance of climate change, which then was assumed to lead to pro-environmental behaviour change.
This work explores these key assumptions and brings together this phenomenological approach with broader questions around the consideration of psychological barriers including psychological distance in climate communications and discourse.
This research is grounded in a critique of the discourse around pro-environmental behaviour change. This utilises the Kollmuss and Agyeman (2002) model of pro-environmental behaviour change in order to consider behaviour holistically and non-linearly, and integrates psychological barriers in order to test the assumptions around the use of VR as a communication tool for climate.
This research utilises and critiques a systematic review, a rapid evidence review and an experimental design to explore these questions.
Phase 1 synthesised existing research around VR and pro-environmental behaviour and identified key research gaps; primarily around the focus on low-impact behaviours, over short time periods, with a lack of focus on psychological barriers.
Phase 2 focused on a high impact behaviour (meat consumption) and identified a new conceptualisation of the psychological barriers to pro-environmental behaviour change; with barriers manifesting as blocks or as gaps.
Phase 3 provided empirical evidence to show that psychological distance was reduced after viewing a virtual reality experience.
This research provides a novel theoretical integration of psychological distance and the Kollmuss and Agyeman (2002) model of pro-environmental behaviour and evaluates its usefulness.
Methodologically, a new systematic review framework is developed for environmental social science. Insights are also produced in relation to using virtual reality in experimental designs, with recommendations for researchers and practitioners for its use.
Empirically, new assessments of the existing literature around virtual reality and pro-environmental behaviour change, and psychological barriers around meat consumption are conducted. Additionally, an experiment identifies new empirical contributions around psychological determinants, outcomes and barriers to pro-environmental behaviour change.