Embodied Learning in Virtual Reality: Enhancing Japanese Psychomimetic Word Acquisition Through Emotional Experiences

Virtual reality (VR) offers the potential for embodied learning through multisensory engagement. However, empirical research on the direct impact of emotional experiences on learning outcomes remains limited. This study investigated the influence of direct emotional experiences in VR on learners’ acquisition of Japanese psychomimetic words, examining how different emotional styles, self-perception, and empathy affect learning outcomes. Based on embodied learning theory, this study explored how emotional experiences shape vocabulary acquisition. Thirty participants used a VR system designed to elicit emotions, such as joy, anger, and anxiety through scenes that reflected 13 psychomimetic words. The VR system provided immersive scenes that allowed learners to connect emotions with word meanings through emotional experience. This investigation assessed whether immersive VR enhanced the understanding of psychomimetic words and explored how self-perception and empathy influenced the relationships between emotional experiences, engagement, attention, and learning outcomes using eye-tracking and controller data. Self-perception and empathy enhance learning at different effectiveness levels. Self-perception significantly improved immediate and long-term retention, whereas empathy contributed to long-term retention. In self-perception, emotional experiences affect learning outcomes, with attention significantly influencing emotional experiences and learning outcomes. Engagement primarily affects emotional experiences. These results highlight the roles of emotional experiences in VR, suggesting their potential to enhance language education through tailored emotional engagement. The findings emphasize the importance of strategic practices and learner-centered designs for optimizing VR’s effectiveness in language learning.