Psychological Effects of Multisensory VR Exposure-Based Autobiographical Memory Retrieval

The advance of virtual reality technology has allowed it to be used as a research tool for enhancing cognitive functioning or to improve current therapy treatments for different types of mental disorders. The objective of this study was to test the immersion effect and psychological effects of a new multisensory VR exposure-based autobiographical memory retrieval procedure (combining image, sound, odor and movement) by comparison with the odor-evoked autobiographical memory procedure. The procedure combines 3D images, sound, odor and movement in order to trigger autobiographical retrieval. Stimuli used are chosen by the participants as being relevant for a period of their life that they consider important, full of satisfaction. We found that multisensory VR exposure-based autobiographical memory retrieval induced a presence effect above the value considered average, also reduced momentary stress (although not significantly different from odor-evoked autobiographical memory procedure) and managed to increase the level of optimism, significantly more than odor-evoked autobiographical memory procedure. These results are encouraging and maybe in the future this multisensory VR-based memory retrieval procedure could be part of an inter-disciplinary “cyber-psychological” approach combining technology and psychology for reducing stress and boosting optimism. One of the limits of our study is the relatively small number of subjects and the disproportion between women and men affecting the generalization of the results.