Immersive Virtual Reality Gameplay Alters Embodiment, Time Perception, and States of Consciousness
Virtual Worlds June 25, 2026 Nicola de Pisapia, Andrea Polo, Andrea Signorelli
Playing a videogame in a virtual reality headset increases feelings of presence and alters aspects of conscious experience related to embodiment, such as disembodiment and positive depersonalization, compared to playing on a desktop computer. Adding a treadmill for full-body locomotion further increases immersion. The most immersive condition also distorts retrospective time estimation, making it less accurate. However, immersive gameplay does not broadly change executive functions like cognitive flexibility. The findings suggest that virtual reality selectively affects embodiment-related conscious experience and time perception without general effects on cognition.