Presence Is Reality: Rethinking Virtual and Real-World Consciousness
Perspectives on Psychological Science
Published online on February 10, 2026
Abstract
Perspectives on Psychological Science, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 269-291, May 2026.
The sense of presence is typically defined as the feeling of “being there” in a virtual environment, whereas the sense of reality is defined as the ability to discriminate between real and unreal phenomena. We challenge this rigid dichotomy, arguing that ...
The sense of presence is typically defined as the feeling of “being there” in a virtual environment, whereas the sense of reality is defined as the ability to discriminate between real and unreal phenomena. We challenge this rigid dichotomy, arguing that ...