Research Project Overview and Description
This project investigates how immersive virtual reality (VR) filmmaking and 360-degree storytelling affect a viewer’s emotional engagement, sense of presence, and memory retention. By comparing VR viewing experiences with traditional screen-based media, the research explores how the immersive quality of VR induces a first-person perspective and intensifies emotional responses such as empathy. The study utilizes interdisciplinary methods, including psychological analysis and potentially affective computing, to understand how cinematic VR alters narrative comprehension and fosters deeper connections between the audience and the digital environment.
This project investigates how immersive virtual reality (VR) filmmaking and 360-degree storytelling affect a viewer’s emotional engagement, sense of presence, and memory retention. By comparing VR viewing experiences with traditional screen-based media, the research explores how the immersive quality of VR induces a first-person perspective and intensifies emotional responses such as empathy. The study utilizes interdisciplinary methods, including psychological analysis and potentially affective computing, to understand how cinematic VR alters narrative comprehension and fosters deeper connections between the audience and the digital environment.
Research Outcome
The project is expected to deliver a detailed analysis of how immersive 360-degree VR storytelling enhances emotional engagement and presence compared to traditional media. Key outcomes include the identification of specific narrative and technical factors that intensify viewer empathy and first-person perspective. The research is anticipated to contribute to the field of affective computing and media studies, leading to peer-reviewed publications and providing a methodological framework for designing more impactful virtual reality narrative experiences.
About the researchers
Yuqing Liu is a PhD candidate in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Hong Kong, affiliated with the eXtended Humanities VR + AR Research Lab. Her research focuses on cultural and film studies, specifically examining affectivity in virtual reality (VR) films. She holds a BA and MA from Peking University and is a recipient of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme and the HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship.
Tim Gruenewald is an Associate Professor and the founding director of the eXtended Humanities Research Lab at HKU. He specializes in US cultural and visual studies, focusing on how narrative construction in media like VR, film, and television intersects with collective identity and memory. He is the author of Curating America’s Painful Past and has received multiple awards for his research and documentary filmmaking.
Fund Source
N/A
For enquiries
please contact at atlabhku.hk