Mapping the Evidence: A Scoping Review on Immersive Learning Media for Decreasing Psychological Distance From Environmental Issues

Abstract

As we are living amid an unprecedented environmental crisis, the need to cultivate more environmentally aware citizens intensifies. However, a widely discussed barrier in environmental education is the psychological distance people often feel from contemporary environmental challenges. This work-in-progress paper presents a review study which examines whether empirical research provides evidence supporting the role of immersive learning media in reducing psychological distance for fostering pro-environmental engagement. The relevant literature was reviewed to shed light on the methodological underpinnings of the studies, the design aspects of the adopted immersive learning media as well as on their impact on perceived psychological distance (i.e., spatial, temporal, social, hypothetical). Overall, our review shows that while research in this area is emerging, empirical evidence in support of immersive learning media remains largely inconclusive. We conclude by reflecting on these findings and we outline future research directions, emphasizing that the effectiveness of immersive learning media is context-dependent and shaped by methodological, design, and individual factors.