Researches may combine a virtual stimulus (virtual patient) with measurement techniques (questionnaires / in-person observation) 

VR as a stimulus delivery platform

Researches can use VR to measure the behavioral consequences of real-world interventions (clinical training). Virtual clinical training would test how participants act with a virtual patient.

VR as a measurement tool

-	Antecedent of health behaviors
-	Impact of psychological processes in health
-	Broader social processes in health



VR functions as investigative tool in three broad areas in health psychology

VR may be used to test research questions unrelated to the technology itself, but rather with the research questions related to human behavior and responses through use of VR. 

Syracuse University

-	VR as an object of study
-	VR interventions
-	VR as a research tool

Functions of virtual reality (VR)

Martingano, A. J., & Persky, S. (2021). Virtual reality expands the toolkit for conducting health psychology research. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 15(7). https://doi-org.libezproxy2.syr.edu/10.1111/spc3.12606

Virtual reality expands the toolkit for conducting health psychology research

Research studying VR as an object assesses the content & structure of VR and how variants affect the user, including measuring if VR experience prompts presence, evokes emotions or causes motion sickness. Research on VR as an object suggests virtual humans can exercise palpable social influence over the user and their responses to such influence appears similar in VR and reality. 

VR as an object of study

VR interventions are utilized for clinical & practical purposes, interventions cover a wide array of areas. Research suggests VR interventions compare favorable to existing treatment. 

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