Virtual Reality Assignment Sample

Question

Task:
Business Students Scenario/Assignment: The last years marked the global advent of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies, i.e., “the leading edge of a general evolution of present communication interfaces, whose main characteristic is the full immersion of the human sensorimotor channels into a vivid and global communication experience.” A large diversity of experts and stakeholders, ranging from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and major media companies to artists and media scholars expect that VR will turn into a mass medium. Several reasons support the expectation that VR technology achieves mainstream adoption in the coming years. First, leading media, technology, and content companies perceive VR as a key technology in their strategic planning. In the last years, major media companies like Facebook, Microsoft, Google, or Samsung invested billions in VR knowledge and related start-up companies. Content-producers like Disney started developing content for VR. Second, VR technology defines a new attractive market for companies and entrepreneurs. Business forecasts have to be interpreted with caution, of course, but predict that until 2020, 30 million head-mounted VR displays will be sold. Once a critical mass of people adopted VR technology, existing markets now geared towards social media, education, work, advertisement, and entertainment may profoundly shift towards VR. Third, VR offers a profoundly new and compelling user experience that may attract many users. Unlike existing media, VR technology convincingly deceives the perceptual system of the human user to strongly feel the presence of virtual (or digitally represented) persons, objects, and environments. The typical VR experience is characterized by users’ profound immediate sensation that the virtual world actually exists in the here and now. In addition, in VR, users might feel fully embodied into their virtual self (e.g., avatar), to an extent that even their sense of body ownership and self-concept is affected. Accordingly, the typical VR experience is characterized by the automatic sensation that “this is really me”, “this is really happening to me”, and “I am really doing this”.
Assignment: VR is also a hot issue in retailing, e-commerce, and marketing communication, as it might provide unique consumer respectively product experiences (e.g., as compared to “flat” 2D depiction of products on the Internet). VR might also offer new ways of interpersonal contact and services that are, e.g., accompanying product presentations. Provide a short paper in which you speculate about how selling products via VR might differ from selling products via traditional “2D screen-based” online devices (via computer, smartphone screens). Base your speculations on existing empirical literature (e.g., experiments, etc.) on (a) how VR transforms product presentations and consumer experience, and on (b) how VR transforms social and interaction and communication. You can also enhance your argumentation by drawing on literature that (c) illuminates the basic psychological foundations of VR, particularly (self) embodiment (or body transfer, body ownership, self-presence) and (spatial or social) presence illusions (e.g., research by Mel Slater or Jeremy Bailenson).

Answer

Introduction
This study of virtual reality assignment presents a detailed evaluation of various factors involving the use of VR for commercial purposes. The use of Virtual Reality is highly efficient in ensuring proper development of positive psychological thought processes in regards to a certain factor or issue. Additionally, the effectiveness of using VR for social communications and the psychological effects of using VR have also been presented in details.

Methods by which VR transforms product presentations and consumer experience
The use of Virtual Reality helps in the formation of three dimensional artificial worlds that contribute to significant developments in regards to artificial experiences which feel a lot like the real world. The utilization of 3D imagery has a positive effect on making customers feel that they are right there in the exact situation presented in video based advertisements. These factors help them to relate with these advertisements, thus contributing to increased customer experiences and satisfaction. As per the viewpoint of Miller et al. (2019), being able to relate to various situations contribute to better understanding regarding concepts involving a certain situation. In regards to relating with the use of various products and services lead to an increase in the sale of these products due to the positive psychological effects of these developments.

Virtual reality also involves the use of Augmented Reality (AR) processes that deal with the development of frameworks similar to the real world. It provides customers with an altogether different form of immersive digital experiences. As per a report presented by the Kellton Tech Solutions, one of the leading VR and AR experience providing organizations, it was found that AR and VR technologies could gain significant revenue values in the upcoming years. It was stated that the AR and VR technologies can lead to a revenue value of approximately $162 Billion by the end of 2020 (Kelltontech.com, 2019). It has been stated that major organizations such as Nike and Adidas are moving forward with the use of Virtual Reality processes which allows them to provide a detailed view of their products and services in order to attract a larger number of customers. As opined by Izogo and Ogba (2015), increasing the customer satisfaction can help to ensure significant loyalty towards the brand. The increase in loyal customers of the organization can have positive effects in regards to increased sales of products and services of the organization.

Methods by which VR transforms social and interaction and communication discussed in virtual reality assignment
Social interactions and communications mostly do not require the use of VR systems as these interactions occur via face to face methods. However, in terms of various social situations which involve communication processes with highly important people travelling to or residing at a different location, the use of VR can help to develop the feeling that they are available right at the required location (Slater, 2018). These processes can help people in a social situation experiencing a variety of problems to communicate with the community leaders in order to gain insights regarding a variety of methods to deal with these problems. Gaining proper insights regarding the views of leaders via the use of these virtual platforms contribute to the development of fondness towards these systems.

VR systems are also used in order to provide virtual presentations in a variety of events. Prizes for various events stored within a different location or are too large in size can be presented via the use of virtual reality (Miller et al. 2019). This can help them participants to understand various factors at stake in regards to getting these prizes. The higher value products and services that are provided as prizes need to be high quality builds which can lead to increased competitions within the social situations.

The basic psychological foundations of VR, particularly embodiment and presence illusions
The psychological foundations of Virtual Reality involve the fact that VR systems have significant positive effects on influencing people. According to Crescentini et al. (2016), the use of VR systems is a new idea and process that is used by only a small number of organizations. The use of VR requires significantly high budget values and thus can affect various organizations in a negative way. A large number of organizations do not have the necessary funding for implementing these systems which affects them in a negative way.

The psychological factors involving the use of Virtual Reality involves the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of individuals. People are used to face to face communications and thus the use of VR for the first time provides them with a large number of unknowns. However, as stated by Slater and Sanchez-Vives (2016), the ability of VRs to provide a high value experience leads to positive effects on the mindsets of people. Self embodiment factors such as body transfer, body ownership and self presence contributes to positive developments in regards to achieving the necessary psychological goals. The use of VR helps people involved to feel that they have been transported to a new location thus providing with the illusion of body transfer and body ownership. On the other hand, as stated by Slater (2018), factors relating to illusions and presence involve the fact that a person under surgical processes might feel that they are moving their legs and the illusion shows as if the person is moving his or her legs in order to play soccer. These processes are highly effective in preventing people from being fearful of their health situations and can help to deal with major problems in an efficient manner.

Conclusion
The use of VR and AR are new developments which can have significant positive developments for organizations in regards to communication. Based on the above study of virtual reality assignment, it can be concluded that the proper utilization of VR can lead to easier presentation of new product or service developments that have high-quality designs. The use of 2D allowed presenting various developments but lacked in proper presentation of micro designs and new features added within the system processes. On the other hand, 3D presentations can help to present a realistic view regarding the product and can present every groove involved in the product design. This can help to increase customer satisfaction and increase profits of the brand.

Reference List
Crescentini, C., Chittaro, L., Capurso, V., Sioni, R. and Fabbro, F., (2016). Psychological and physiological responses to stressful situations in immersive virtual reality: Differences between users who practice mindfulness meditation and controls. Computers in Human Behavior, 59(4), pp.304-316.

Izogo, E.E. and Ogba, I.E., (2015). Virtual reality assignment Service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty in automobile repair services sector. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 32(3), pp.250-269.

Kelltontech.com, (2019) AR and VR Extended realities are now a reality https://www.kelltontech.com/ar-vr-services

Miller, M.R., Jun, H., Herrera, F., Villa, J.Y., Welch, G. and Bailenson, J.N., (2019). Social interaction in augmented reality. PloS one, 14(5), p. 21-29.

Slater, M. and Sanchez-Vives, M.V., (2016). Enhancing our lives with immersive virtual reality. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 3(2), p.66-78.

Slater, M., (2018). Immersion and the illusion of presence in virtual reality. British Journal of Psychology, 109(3), pp.431-433.